Online Reporter
Lovemore Dube, Zimpapers Sports Hub
THE Zimbabwe Sports Association for People with Disabilities (ZSAPD) has welcomed the return of the National Paralympic Games, describing the move as a lifeline for athletes long denied a stage to shine.
Johane Marufu, the association’s president, could hardly hide his excitement in Bulawayo on Thursday after Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Sport, Nicholas Moyo, confirmed that both the Paralympic and Youth Games will be reinstated on the national sporting calendar.
The newly appointed Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) board has already made the Games one of its top priorities.
Board member David Simba added that the return is not just talk: the Games are scheduled for 2026.
“I am happy that they have said the Games are back,” said Marufu, who had earlier used the stakeholder meeting to lament the years of silence.
“Zimbabwe National Paralympic Games are a premier platform for athletes with disabilities to showcase their talents, promoting talent identification, development, and selection for international competitions like the Paralympic Games, Special Olympics, AUSC Region V Games, and Deaf Paralympics among others.”
For Marufu, the return of the Games is only part of the vision. ZSAPD is also pushing to reshape how sport is taught in the country’s teacher training institutions.
“We are partnering with teacher training colleges, the University of Zimbabwe, the Sports Leaders Institute of Zimbabwe, and Liike Sports and Development of Finland to develop an adapted and inclusive physical education curriculum. This will equip trainee teachers with the skills and knowledge to include learners with disabilities in their lessons once deployed,” he explained.
This initiative covers 17 teacher training colleges across Zimbabwe, and Marufu believes it’s key to embedding inclusive sport in schools, where tomorrow’s champions will be found.
On the ground, practical support is beginning to flow. Wheelchair basketball recently received 35 brand new sports wheelchairs, distributed to clubs in Bulawayo, Victoria Falls, and Zvishavane. Marufu revealed that donors are watching closely and could extend more support.
“Depending on the performance of these clubs, the donor is willing and available to expand the project coverage,” he said.
ZSAPD has also partnered with Kwekwe Polytechnic to design and manufacture sports wheelchairs locally.
A prototype multi-sport model has already been produced and could soon be rolled out nationally.
“ZSAPD and Kwekwe Polytechnic College have designed and manufactured a prototype multi-sports wheelchair whose production can be scaled to meet the demand. The wheelchair can be used for basketball, tennis, badminton, pickleball and other wheelchair sports except athletics,” said Marufu.
The initiative ties neatly with Moyo’s broader vision of digitising and industrialising Zimbabwean sport under the Government’s Vision 2030 programme, which seeks to create jobs and raise incomes.
ZSAPD is also working to strengthen its provincial footprint.
New executives have been set up in Mashonaland West and Matabeleland South, with Masvingo, Mashonaland East and Central, and Matabeleland North to follow.
“The future of our sports lies in adapted and inclusive programmes in schools,” Marufu stressed.
He pointed out that their school pilot project in Bulawayo faltered during the Covid-19 pandemic, but they have applied for a five year extension to work with the national associations of primary and secondary schools before expanding countrywide.
Community sport is another frontier. Marufu said stronger grassroots participation is vital for sustained talent development.
Despite the optimism, Marufu admitted that resources remain a stumbling block. Equipment, facilities, and funding are often inadequate, leaving athletes at a disadvantage compared to their international peers.
“We will be happy if they allocate specific funds for disability sports development, equipment, and infrastructure, and provide training for coaches, classifiers, officials and volunteers to enhance their skills in disability sports,” he said.
“Also, the offering of annual grants to disability sports organisations to lubricate their operations and coverage.”
Thursday’s meeting in Bulawayo brought together sports and arts stakeholders from Bulawayo Metropolitan, Masvingo, Midlands, and Matabeleland provinces. Moyo was accompanied by senior ministry officials Eugenia Chidakwa and Lovemore Chadenga, who fielded concerns and listened to proposals from across the sector.
For Marufu and ZSAPD, the session carried a promise: a long overdue return of the Games, a chance to grow inclusive sport, and above all, a renewed sense of hope.
