ZNA charities golf tournament set

Sikhumbuzo Moyo
ZIMBABWE National Army Commander Phillip Valerio Sibanda will this morning lead a strong field of over 100 players in the second edition of the ZNA Charities golf tournament at Bulawayo Country Club golf course.Sibanda is expected to tee off at 6am.  The playing format will be the four ball better ball stableford. Speaking during a press briefing at the ZNA guest house at Suburbs yesterday, ZNA Chief of Staff (Administration), Trust Mugoba said the playing field has been over subscribed and the army was more than grateful to the Bulawayo business community for the support it has received.

“As the army we believe we are more than set for the golf tournament and the dinner dance later in the evening. We have a full complement of four member teams,” said Mugoba who was flanked by chairman of the ZNA Charities local organising committee Thomas Moyo and the national chairman of the organising committee Herbert Chingono.

Also present during the press briefing were senior army officers, Brave Matavire, Vusa Tshuma and army public relations director Alfios Makotore.

The golf tournament and the dinner dance are part of the fundraising initiative by the army meant to raise money for its five charities.
According to the Chief of Staff Mugoba, the army is hoping to raise about $15 000 from the golf tournament and close to $25 000 from the dinner dance later in the evening.

The guest of honour will be renowned motivational speaker Eddie Khosa from South Africa who said he was humbled by the army’s decision to choose him to be the guest of honor at such an important event.

“I am really humbled to be honest with you,” said Khosa whose theme tonight will be ‘automated wheel burrow wins the game’.
The army charities are Tsanga Lodge Convalescent Centre in Nyanga which is for the rehabilitation of injured members of the uniformed forces.

It also has ZNA Benevolence Fund for the welfare of troops on internal, external and international operations. The ZNA Schools of Welfare Trust which has a total of five secondary and 12 primary schools. The last ZNA charity is the Widows and Orphans which takes care of widows of the soldiers before they receive terminal benefits.

“Our immediate need for Tsanga Lodge is to develop it into a self-sustaining institution. We have acquired a field for potatoes which needs to be fenced, we also have a fish pond and the fish need some food. If we manage to get these projects running then I am sure the place will be self sufficient,” said Mugoba.

The army school now pays school fees for more than 340 pupils and they want to increase the number to around 500. Last year Hwange based Cephas Ncube and his teammates, Francis Muketiwa, Charles Rubunya and Johannes Mutamba won the tournament after scoring 103 in total.

On second position with 94 points was Bishop Mhlanga, Christopher Dzene, Jonathan Jere and Themba Ncube while Rennie Terrie, Nikki Hooper, Revitt Carmen and Di Kessen where third with a total score of 90.