ZOC’s Masenda ready for last term

Sports Correspondent
ZIMBABWE Olympic Committee (ZOC) president Admire Masenda says he is ready to serve his last term in the organisation and consolidate gains made during his 10-year reign.

Masenda said he believes his track record and consistency during his time in office should make associations give him another term. He said he is also hoping to complete some of the projects he has initiated such as the Olympic Africa Centre earmarked for Epworth.

Masenda is set to face a stiff challenge from former Zimbabwe Karate Union boss, Joe Rugwete.

“I am only seeking one more term to consolidate the work that I have been doing and also to lay the ground for the next person taking over to be able to build on what we would have done and taking the organisation to a higher level. I would also like to be given the chance to complete a few projects that I have initiated such as the Olympic Africa Centre which will play an important role in our development programmes going forward,” he said.

Masenda, who has received backing from the Zimbabwe Football Association, said in his previous terms focus has been more on governance issues and he is now seeking to look at the high performance aspect and create programmes that will see the country reaping medals.

He said he has been spearheading ZOC’s dove-tailing into the Sports Policy that was introduced in August and would like to complete the work he started.

The former Basketball Union of Zimbabwe president said they have secured funding for grassroots development from the Norwegian Sports and Olympic Federation.

“Grassroots development is crucial but unfortunately that is the job of the associations and we can only come up with a plan that we give the associations to implement. Recently we received funding from the Norwegian Sports and Olympic Federation and hope that will make a difference.

“We lack the link between schools sport, tertiary sport, programmes such as the National Youth Games as one do not lead to the other. At tertiary level there is latent potential just sitting there which I feel needs to be exploited. The creation of a Sports Ministry and crafting of the Sports Policy could bring the needed co-ordination to create a progression link between those activates,” he said.

The elections are set for 30 April during ZOC’s annual general meeting.

Chief executive, Anna Mguni said they will release the nominations on Wednesday but sources said there are about eight individuals who have been nominated for the vice-presidency including Thabani Gonye, Olympic medalist Kirsty Coventry, Zifa Northen region vice-president Martin Kweza and Zimbabwe Volleyball Association president Frederick Ndlovu among others. A total of 15 people are said to have been nominated for the 10 board position posts.