Online Reporter
Innocent Kurira, Zimpapers Sports Hub
DEPUTY Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Davis Marapira, has said that the Zimbabwe Agricultural Colleges Sports Association (ZACSA) Games serve as a crucial platform for cultivating unity, discipline and resilience among students.
The ministry’s annual Sports Gala reached its grand finale yesterday, with the final matches across a diverse range of sporting disciplines taking place. This week-long event, hosted by Esigodini Agricultural College under the auspices of ZACSA, brought together talented students from eight agricultural institutions across the country.
The inter-college competition not only provided a valuable arena for healthy sporting rivalry but also actively encouraged physical well-being, fostered social interaction and facilitated the development of sporting prowess among students pursuing studies in agriculture.
The participating institutions were Chibero Agricultural College, Gwebi College of Agriculture, Kushinga-Phikelela Polytechnic, Mlezu Agricultural College, Mazowe Veterinary College, Rio Tinto Agricultural College, Shamva Agricultural College and the esteemed host college, Esigodini Agricultural College.
In the fiercely contested women’s football final, Gwebi emerged victorious with a 1-0 win against Mlezu. The ladies’ volleyball final saw Kushinga recording a decisive 3-1 victory over Mlezu, while in the men’s category, Mazowe triumphed with a 3-0 win against Gwebi.
A tense and closely fought netball final saw the host team, Esigodini, secure a narrow but hard-earned 36-31 victory against Kushinga.
Speaking at the event’s closing ceremony, Deputy Minister Marapira described the games as truly inspiring.
“It is an honour and a great pleasure to join you today at the closing ceremony of this year’s ZACSA Games Gala.
What a vibrant and inspiring event this has been! The annual ZACSA Games are not just a showcase of athletic talent as they serve a much greater purpose. They are a platform for building unity, discipline, and resilience. They remind us of the value of teamwork, the importance of health and wellness, and the power of sport to bring people together across backgrounds and campuses.”
He commended Esigodini Agricultural College for successfully hosting the event. Deputy Marapira also highlighted the importance of recognising top-performing participants.
“One of the exciting outcomes of these games was the identification of the most outstanding teams and individual athletes. I fully support the idea of selecting the best-performing team to go on and represent not just their college but Zimbabwe at the competition of agricultural colleges from different countries”, he said.
Deputy Minister Marapira also emphasised the importance of mental strength in sport.
“Let us nurture athletes who are strong in both body and mind. Allow me to sincerely thank the organisers, the sponsors, the staff, and most importantly, the students for the passion, energy, and dedication that brought this event to life. Your commitment is the reason we are all gathered here today in celebration. At the ministry, we are deeply committed to our vision of food security everywhere, every day. And I believe that what we see in ZACSA is directly connected to that mission,” he said.
Deputy Marapira also drew parallels between sport and agriculture.
“Sport teaches preparation, strategy, endurance and teamwork — exactly the same values we need in agriculture. The strong, focused, and disciplined youth we are celebrating today are the very same ones we look up to for tomorrow’s agricultural transformation.”–@innocentskizoe
