MEMBER of Parliament Farai Jere has urged the government to assume full responsibility for financing Zimbabwe’s national teams whenever they compete in international competitions, arguing that player welfare and motivation should no longer be left to struggling sporting associations.
The Caps United president, who also chairs the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, said his committee is pushing hard for the state to ensure national team players are properly motivated whenever they represent the country.
Jere was speaking on the sidelines of a Warriors farewell dinner held last week ahead of the team’s Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) campaign later this month in Morocco.
For years, the burden of incentivising and catering for national team players has largely fallen on national associations such as the Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa), with minimal direct financial support from the government.
Jere said governments in all progressive and sports-successful nations are responsible for the welfare and financing of national teams.
"At a stage like Afcon, if you look at the nations that have done well, it’s all about motivation. Players need to be given incentives. When playing for your nation, that is their moment to live like kings,” he said, emphasising that players should no longer be forced to live in “poverty”.
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The MP revealed that his committee successfully lobbied Finance minister Mthuli Ncube to increase funding for sport, resulting in an allocation of ZiG841,4 million (about US$32 million) to the Ministry of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture in the 2026 national budget announced last month.
“If you listened to budget debates, we spoke to the minister of Finance, and pushed for the increase in the allocation towards Sports development in the country,” he said.
“He actually took into account the issues of the welfare of the national teams. It’s not only soccer. Even the hockey team, the ladies, we are pushing the minister to say, no, it’s high time the government takes over the national teams.”
Jere insisted that once a national team qualifies for an international tournament, the government should immediately step in.
“We are very happy that the Minister of Finance listened to the plea,” he said.
While Ncube is yet to disclose the full extent of government support for the Warriors’ Afcon campaign, the farewell dinner delivered a major boost. Sport minister Anselem Sanyatwe revealed that President Emmerson Mnangagwa personally donated US$400 000 towards the team’s welfare, sourced from his own funds.
Jere applauded the President’s gesture but maintained that sustained government support remains critical.
“They [the government] are definitely going to play their part to make sure that the team is taken care of.”
He also called on the private sector to rally behind Zifa, saying the association is regaining credibility under the leadership of Nqobile Magwizi.
He said the association has recorded huge improvements in governance and administration and now deserves robust financial backing.
The Warriors are expected to depart for Morocco tomorrow ahead of their Group B opener against Egypt on December 22. Zimbabwe will also face South Africa and Angola as they chase a historic first progression to the knockout stages of Afcon.