GREAT ZIMBABWE University (GZU) will this year host new Paralympic disciplines at the Chancellor of Zimbabwe State Universities' Staff Games under the theme, "Driving innovation, industrialisation and collaboration through sport towards NDS2 and vision 2030 as organisers push universities to close what they describe as a longstanding gap in disability sports infrastructure.
This comes as the National Organising Committee (NOC) finalises preparations for the week-long tournament, running from July 19 to 26, 2026 at GZU's Mashava campus.
In an interview with NewsDay Sport, marketing and public relations officer for Chancellor of Zimbabwe State Universities' Staff Games, Tichaona Lloyd Mwadiwa said the introduction of Paralympic events was long overdue.
"We have observed that our institutions of higher learning actually have got a gap when it comes to sporting facilities for these brothers and sisters of ours who are differently abled," he said.
Mwadiwa said this year's programme would include goalball, played by visually impaired participants, alongside adapted athletics events.
"We have actually taken a trajectory to kickstart and steer the development of Paralympian facilities within our institutions of higher learning," he said.
He said the initiative was tied to the national development agenda.
"We want these people also to feel, to be part of the national development discourse and participate and engage and network with others during these sports games," Mwadiwa said, referencing government's "leave no one behind" mantra.
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To support the drive, the National Organising Committee (NOC) held a fundraising event in Harare last month.
"We had fundraising activities at the Rainbow Tourism Group Hotel on the 19th of June, where we also had partners coming to support us," he said, adding that the main goal was to raise resources "to buy and create infrastructure and facilities for our Paralympians."
Mwadiwa appealed for more corporate backing.
"This is a call to all private sector, the public sector to come and partner with us, get in touch with us, and then we forge ahead meaningful developmental partnerships so that both of us get to benefit," he said.
Beyond the inclusion drive, Mwadiwa said the Games would draw between 800 and 1 000 people to Mashava, with 12 state and private universities competing across athletics, soccer, volleyball, basketball, tennis, netball, javelin, shot put and traditional games.
He said assessment visits had left the National Organising Committee satisfied with GZU's readiness.
"We have been assessing progress of these games, and we are so excited that Great Zimbabwe University are on the good track," Mwadiwa said.
The Mashava campus, with capacity for up to 3 000 people, will house all delegates during the students' semester break. Mwadiwa said an on-site health team, including ambulances and paramedics, would be on standby throughout the tournament, with participants encouraged to carry medical aid details.
He said delegates were expected from all ten provinces, with senior managers, professors, doctors, technicians, librarians and finance staff among competitors.
Mwadiwa said the Games ultimately remained anchored in staff wellness.
"An exercising body normally is attacked less than an idle body," he said.
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