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Grace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter
THE exploits of the Zimbabwe senior netball side at the just-ended Vitality Netball World Cup in Liverpool, England, continue to get recognition with the Mayor of Harare, Herbert Gomba, set to host the team when it returns home.
The Gems are scheduled to touch down at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport at 5:10 pm today aboard an Emirates Airlines.
And the Harare City Council, through Mayor Gomba, have put in place plans to welcome the team although the cocktail party, which was supposed to be held immediately after the team’s arrival tonight, has been moved to a later date.
The Gems, who went to Liverpool ranked 13th, finished the tournament at number eight and flew the country’s flag high with some good performances.
This attracted the attention of a full Harare City Council meeting where it was resolved that the team would be hosted at the Town House at a date to be advised during the course of this week.
According to a letter written by the acting Chamber Secretary, Charles Kandemiri, and addressed to the councillors, plans are in place for a lavish cocktail party for the Gems.
“Please be advised that the proposed reception for the Gems has been cancelled. Council will advise of any programmes to host national teams when as is necessary,” Kandemiri said yesterday. The First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa has since called on the corporate world to come aboard and reward the senior national netball team.
Last week, speaking at State House, Mai Mnangagwa urged companies to recognise the team which has defied the odds.
“Now it shows that when we say the girl child can do this. Sponsors please chip in and come in and help. We have seen it for ourselves that girls can do it.
“Look at what they have done. Zimbabwe is now being talked about all over the world because of these girls.
“So, when it comes to sponsorship I will ask all the sponsors, “please to come in their thousands to come and help” because I think the girls have shown us that they can do it and we should rally behind them and we should encourage them,” said the First Lady.
Econet Zimbabwe, the team’s chief sponsor at the World Cup in partnership with Zimbabwe Netball Association, will use their platform to give an opportunity to people who want to play a part in rewarding the Gems by donating through their biller code.
Meanwhile, local netball fans and sports lovers have asked the Zimbabwe National Army, the Zimbabwe Republic Police and the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services to honour some members of the uniformed forces who were part of the Gems.
Online Reporter