Online Reporter
Langalakhe Mabena-Youth Interactive Writer
THE Zimbabwe national debate and public speaking teams are continuing the mission of raising the country’s flag high on various tournaments as they managed to bring home silver medals from their recent hunt at the East Africa World Schools Debating and Public Speaking Championship.
The annually held tournament which was held last week at Nairobi in Kenya, saw five countries battling it out including Zimbabwe, Uganda, South Sudan, Tanzania and the host country.
The Zimbabwe debate team comprised Barry Kamanga from Hellenic Academy, Munotida Nyamanhindi (Dominican Convent Harare), Nokutenda Guta (Arundel School) and Elvis Machiya (St Faith – Rusape).
Guiding the debate team to such a milestone were head coach Maison Maphosa and his deputies Methembe Mthimkhulu, Providence Nhoko and Menzimuhle Ncube.
On the Public Speaking side, Coaches Nqobile Moyo, Rebecca Muleya and Zibusiso Moyo played a crucial role in moulding team members including Ryan Edziwa (Hellenic Academy), Towonanyasha Matuku (Arundel School), Hannah Raja as well as junior speaker and captain of the team Tendai Zvirawa from Wise Owl Marondera.
In debate, team Zimbabwe who won gold last year at the tournament fell short to team Kenya in a highly contested Grand Final.
In public speaking, team Zimbabwe were defeated by Uganda’s Speech Paragons.
Overall, both teams did well on individual awards as debater Kamanga was on position two for Best Debater category, with Nyamanhindi, Guta and Machiya positioned on six, seven and seventeen positions respectively, out of 109 speakers.
In Public Speaking for juniors, Zvirawa ended the preliminaries as the top speaker and won a silver medal in the grand finals.
On senior level, Edziwa and Matuku were positioned in second and eleventh place out of 80 speakers. Raja was awarded the Most Potential Award of the tournament.
Head coach of the team Maison Maphosa said they are happy with the results despite not managing to defend the gold accolade.
“I believe that we did great at the tournament but as defending champions from last year, getting a silver medal was not part of the goal, we wanted to defend the gold. Both teams have been training hard and we are positive they will bring great results.
“There is so much potential and a massive room of improvement from the team. We will take each battle as it comes and I know we will strike the right codes going forward.
“We are also grateful to the schools and parents of the kids who allowed them to travel and do duty for the nation. We are super proud of these young boys and girls,” said Maphosa.
Meanwhile, the teams are preparing for upcoming duties as their next trip will be going for the Asia Debating Championships set to be held in Thailand in June. They will also travel for the World Schools Debating Championships seto for Panama in July.
