Online Reporter
Conrad Mupesa
Mashonaland West Bureau
MASHONALAND West and Namibia’s Kavango East Region are enhancing bilateral relations through sport, culture, and skills exchange during the ongoing KaMasho Sports Festival held at the Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT) grounds.
The five-day Mashonaland West–Kavango East Sports and Cultural Exchange Programme, which commenced on June 9 and ends on Friday, brings together teams from both regions in a celebration aimed at encouraging youth development, cultural exchange, and tourism.
The two provinces renewed their Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) last year. The sports festival features football and netball matches involving teams from Mashonaland West and Kavango East; the programme also includes cultural performances and exhibitions.
The exchange kicked off with an education and skills development tour, where the Kavango East delegation visited the offices of the Minister of State for Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs and Devolution before touring Chinhoyi Urban and Rural Vocational Training Centres.
Delegates explored various departments, including automotive, machine shop, carpentry, metal fabrication, cookery, cosmetology, and construction, while also visiting projects run by graduates of vocational training centres.
The official opening of the festival on Tuesday included the playing of the Zimbabwean and Namibian national anthems, cultural dances, marimba performances, and exhibitions.
Sports fixtures included matches involving Chinhoyi Technical High School, Kavango East Region, Chinhoyi Warriors, and Mozzy Academy.
Youth teams will continue competing at CUT grounds, with fixtures involving Young Boys, Kavango East Region, Nemakonde High, King Solomon, and Mozzy Academy, among others.
The exchange programme will conclude with a cultural and tourism tour, where the Kavango East delegation will visit Chinhoyi Provincial Heroes and the 7 Heroes Memorial Park before touring the Chinhoyi Caves.
The initiative aimed at further strengthening Zimbabwe-Namibia relations through sport, education, culture, and tourism, which are platforms for collaboration between the two countries.
