Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
The second edition of the two-day netball and soccer tournament that is being held in Matabeleland South in honour of Vice President Dr Kembo Mohadi enters its final day in Beitbridge today.
The sports gala is being jointly hosted by Welton Primary School and Ronnie’s Arena (Mabidi Stadium).
The sports fiesta kicked off on a high note with 12 constituency drawn teams registering their presence with sterling performances from the early hours of Friday.
Semi-finals and Finals will all be played at Ronnie’s Arena today where the Vice President is expected to officiate and give grants to Young Women for Economic Development in Matabeleland South province.
This year the event is running under the theme “Championing excellence, harnessing multidisciplinary sporting and innovation to curb drug and substance abuse towards an upper-middle-income society by 2030”
The tournament is a brainchild of the provincial ZANU PF Youth League to celebrate the legacy of the Vice President and the Second Republic.
Already hundreds of youths from the province have gathered in Beitbridge to witness the competitions that also provides a platform for the youth to showcase their talent and raise awareness against the menaces of drugs and substance abuse.
Vice President Mohadi is revered for his commitment to improving and encouraging young people to engage in sport.
Already, last year’s winners Gwanda-Tshitaudze teams which excelled in both netball and soccer finals are now having a thriving goats rearing projects which after investing the prize money into the youth’s empowerment initiative.
“We are excited and at the same time grateful to our Vice President whose legacy we will continue to celebrate. This sports gala provides a huge platform for youths from the remote areas to showcase their talents at a large forum,” said Mr Rendani Ndou from Beitbridge West.
Another youth, Mr Ronald Moyo from Beitbridge East said the tournament was a welcome development and welcomed the idea to hold it across all the seven districts in the province.
He said this promotes a culture of inclusivity as everyone will have an opportunity to participate.
According to Miss Sibonakhaliso Ndlovu the sports gala would go a long way in ensuring the girl child is not left behind on issues of grassroots sports development.
“We are happy to be participating in this noble event that among other things raises awareness on issues to do with drug and substance abuse which has become a national problem,” she said.
Deputy Director in the office of Vice President Mohadi office, Mr Newman Masuku, said the stage had been set for the tournament, and said they had arranged 12 buses to transport all the teams from the constituencies, which are already on the way to Beitbridge.
The tournament will also be held concurrently with the Vice President’s birthday celebrations, which are held on November 15 each year.
On Saturday, the Vice President is expected to tour Oakleigh House private school in the town to familiarise himself with its expansion programme.
