New BBA executive vows to bring basketball home

Innocent Kurira, Zimpapers Sports Hub

THE new Bulawayo Basketball Association (BBA) executive is promising a fresh start and a permanent home for the city’s basketball community.

Led by returning president Sinda Mono, the incoming leadership says it’s on a mission to restore the game’s former glory while pushing for growth beyond traditional strongholds.

Top of their agenda? Securing a long-term lease for Khanyisile Sports Centre, formerly known as BCD.

The venue, once the beating heart of local hoops, was temporarily lost due to a terminated lease last season, forcing teams to scramble for alternatives like Eveline High School.

Though BBA managed to return to Khanyisile late in the season, the uncertainty highlighted the need for a stable base.

Secretary General Tino Gumbo, one of the newly elected voices in the revamped executive, says securing that lease is non-negotiable.

“We don’t have a venue we can truly call our own. We’ve already submitted a bid to the city council to lease Khanyisile Sports Centre, and we’re working hard to ensure we get it,” said Gumbo.

The bid has the backing of the Basketball Union of Zimbabwe, giving BBA’s push extra weight as they await Bulawayo City Council’s decision.

But infrastructure is just one piece of the puzzle.

Gumbo says the new executive will focus on three pillars over the next four years: infrastructure, inclusion, and raising standards, particularly in the women’s game.

“Firstly, I’d like to thank the electorate that brought us into office. The next four years for us are more of a continuation from where the previous executive left off, but we want to go further. We hope this new team under Mono’s leadership will take Bulawayo basketball to greater heights.”

That includes spreading the sport into previously neglected areas.

“We want to see action in almost every part of Bulawayo, including the western suburbs, where we believe loads of talent is lying idle.”

Another key focus is reviving Bulawayo’s dominance in women’s basketball, an area where the city once led the nation.

“Bulawayo used to be a powerhouse in women’s basketball, but that’s no longer the case. We need our status back.”

The new executive line-up blends experience and youthful energy, a mix they believe can transform the sport in the city.

2025–2029 BBA Executive

President: Sinda Mono

Secretary General: Tino Gumbo

Technical: Admire Chafa

Treasurer: Tanaka Masarirambi

Competitions: Andile Chirinda

Women & Youths: Zanele Nzima