WITH 11 days to go before the start of Zimbabwe National Youth Games to be held in Manicaland Province, the local organising committee (LOC) is still to raise the more than $1 million required to host the games.
BY THANDIWE MOYO
The country’s 10 provinces will compete in the games from August 15-23 in Mutare.
However, LOC chief executive officer Cosmas Chiringa said only one province had paid affiliation fees for the games, but could not say how much they have paid.
“We are still to raise the money that we need to run the games. At the moment I cannot say how much we have because we are still to consolidate everything,” said Chiringa.
He said they had not reached their target, but have stepped up their fundraising activities to try and meet the required amount.
“We have advised all districts that they should have submitted everything they have, whether cash or in kind, by the end of the week. We are trying to meet our target and we have stepped up our activities to raise the funds,” he said.
Chiringa said only one province, Matabeleland South, had paid part of the affiliation fees required for the games.
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Bulawayo also confirmed that they have paid about 50% of the affiliation fees.
Provinces are required to pay $80 per athlete and for a full contingent that includes all sports codes, administrators and coaches they require $20 000 each.
Chiringa said the facilities, including the Games Village, are almost ready.
“Lack of adequate funds is holding us back but everything else is almost ready. The facilities are 97% ready including the accommodation for the athletes,” he said.
He said they are confident that they would have raised the required funds before the start of the games in less than a fortnight.
The National Youth Games are a platform for the country to identify and select athletes for future national teams.
