BULAWAYO will host the African Union Region Five Under-20 Youth Games in December featuring 11 countries.
NewsDay Editorial
A lot of resources have been put towards hosting the games and, thankfully, President Robert Mugabe appears fully behind the staging of the games in the second largest city in the country.
The aim of the games is to use sport to achieve peace, integration and unity on the continent and to encourage Africans to develop together irrespective of colour, economic status, class or gender.
In the same breadth, Mugabe ensuring that former Sports minister David Coltart — credited with bringing the games to Zimbabwe — is involved in organising this important event.
It shows Mugabe wants the games to be successful and wants all capable Zimbabweans to be involved regardless of which political formation they belong.
Coltart is part of the marketing team that is headed by Premier Soccer League chief executive officer Kennedy Ndebele and his vast contacts across the world, in the business and sporting fraternity, is expected to help further market the games.
Venues like Barbourfields, White City, Luveve Stadium, the City Pool and Hillside Teachers College are undergoing extensive renovations and it is hoped that by the time the games start on December 3, everything will be in place.
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The development of infrastructure, in the long term, means Zimbabwe, in particular Bulawayo, will be able to host future international events; just as the country has benefitted from the hockey stadiums in Bulawayo and Harare.
The All-Africa Club Championships will be staged at Khumalo Hockey Stadium next month, but if authorities do not constantly improve these stadiums, Zimbabwe may not be considered in the future.
Zimbabwe is planning to host the Africa Cup of Nations 2017 finals, yet the country does not have the right infrastructure in place. Failure to develop sports infrastructure means, Zimbabwe will always play second fiddle to those that develop their facilities. The country should take a cue from South Africa which has ready facilities for any event anytime.
Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa recently disclosed that $9 million was still needed to complete the refurbishment of stadiums. It is a fact that the economy is on a downturn, yet it is hoped that these funds could be raised as a matter of urgency.
The corporate sector should bail out sports in this country and all the big players in the industry such as Econet, Innscor, Net One, Telecel and Delta Beverages among others have a chance to market their services and products.
Tourism minister Walter Mzembi has advocated for sports tourism to boost the country’s receipts yet he has remained quiet with regards to these forthcoming games.
Zimbabweans are worried about his silence. Mzembi should continue to make noise about these also given the amount of publicity that he attracts. Bulawayo city fathers and even politicians have remained quiet. This is regrettable. They must wake up and do the honourable.
No doubt this could be a good opportunity to Brand Zimbabwe locally and abroad given the rebranded Hlanganani/Sanganai Travel Expo is over. A total of 11 countries, and maybe 16 by the time the games start, will be in Zimbabwe for a good two weeks.
So, Zimbabwe still has ample time to sell its tourism products to the outside world. Everyone should take advantage of this once in a while event in Bulawayo.
