‘Sport unifies people’

Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter

VUNGU MP and former Zifa vice-president, Omega Sibanda, has called for an upward review of the Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation budget allocation to help curtail youths from further engaging in criminal activities.

Contributing to debate on the mid-term fiscal review by the Minister of Finance and Economic Development in Parliament, Sibanda said sport in general plays a huge part in unifying people while also contributing significantly to the economic development of the country.

“I would like to implore the Hon Minister to look at sport. Sport in general unifies people; we were talking about female sports, looking at netball, cricket and the senior football team. These sporting activities were only allocated $30 million and this money is supposed to cater for those in different areas, even in urban areas. I believe that there should be balls even for Hon Members of Parliament for different sporting activities,” said Sibanda.

He also commended the recent move to the English Premier League by Warriors’ midfielder, Marvelous Nakamba, who signed for Aston Villa joining other greats like Bruce Grobbelaar, Peter Ndlovu and Benjani Mwaruwari, who plied their trade in the world’s most watched league.

Sibanda said Parliamentarians must be given enough money for sporting activities in their constituencies so that youths from those areas do not have time to indulge in criminal activities.

“Members of Parliament can be empowered with enough funds for sporting activities in their constituencies so that our children shun criminal activities. Instead they can focus on these sporting activities. The reason why there is an increase in the crime rate is because our young people do not have anything to do, but if we empower them, give them enough balls, they will be productive,” he said.