adminFarirai Machivenyika Senior Reporter
MBADA Diamonds chairman Robert Mhlanga has defended the sponsorship of the Mbada Diamonds Cup, saying the initiative was in the national interest given the popularity of soccer in the country. Mhlanga said this on Friday when he appeared before the National Assembly Portfolio on Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment.
“When you look at diamond mining it’s very pertinent and necessary to understand that it’s a national undertaking. It happens to be in Marange but it’s a national undertaking and to that end whatever we do should also have that national image. Soccer is a national sport and really if you look at the smiles you put on a multiplicity of people in our country when you run this event. We think it’s a noble cause to make a lot of people happy by participating. People go with their families. We think it’s a national morale booster,” he said.
Mhlanga said this while responding to questions by the committee’s chairman Justice Mayor Wadyajena who wanted to know whether money used in sponsoring soccer could not have been used to assist communities in Marange.
The Mbada Diamonds Cup is sponsored to the tune of US$1 million and has been running for the past three years and has become the country’s biggest tournament.
“This is paltry compared to what we have done. The soccer thing, yes we have contributed immensely but you can never make everyone happy. But we have done what we can do humanely possible in Marange as well and we will continue to assist the people there,” Mhlanga said.
Online Reporter