The ManicaPost
Liberty Dube and Nyore Madzianike Post Reporters
NYANGA Country Club was a hive of activity last Sunday as scores of people – from all walks of life – gathered for this year’s edition of the Nyanga is Supa Sports Tournament which saw teams from Nyanga North and South battling for supremacy.
The tournament is Minister of Information Technology and Cyber Security Supa Mandiwanzira’s developmental initiative meant to improve the social and economic livelihoods of the people of Nyanga under the banner of Nyanga is Supa Foundation.
Ward 31’s Mangondoza emerged winners after goring Juliasdale of Ward 25 in the final men’s soccer match. In women’s soccer, Mapako of Ward 18 emerged winners after they outclassed Kazozo from Ward Three in the finals.
In netball, Nyamhuka of Ward 29 outgunned Nyautare from Ward Eight, while Tombo of Ward 15 beat Nyamhuka from Ward 29 in women’s volleyball finals.
Minister of Sports, Arts and Recreation Kazembe Kazembe, who was the guest of honour, hailed the tournament, saying the initiative was playing a critical role in promoting sporting and recreational activities at grassroots level.
“This is in line with the Ministry of Sports, Arts and Recreation’s initiative to make sports accessible to everyone in the country,” he said.
“We need to develop the Sports Ministry and our focus is to build infrastructure so that sporting activities can be accessible to all communities. We also need to demystify the so-called elite sports such as cricket and tennis to have them played in all parts of the country.
“We want to ensure that in the next 10 years sports will be accessible to everyone in the country. We want to take sport to the grassroots. I would like to thank Mandiwanzira and every stakeholder who took part in organising this event,” he said.
Kazembe added that his ministry would be soon be launching a comprehensive national sport and recreation policy which would outline how skills would be imparted in various sporting disciplines.
Mandiwanzira, who is also member of the National Assembly for Nyanga South, said they intended to bring youths together and proffer them a platform where they can interact, exchange ideas and impress sporting gurus who attended the tourney on a talent-scouting mission.
Former toast of Zimbabwe football, Stewart “Shutto” Murisa, who played for Highlanders FC, Caps United and Dynamos, was among former players who graced the exciting event that ran for the whole day.
“We organised this tournament to make sure that our youths are involved in recreational activities. This was not a constituency event but a district tournament, so we had participation from Nyanga North and Nyanga South. Every ward participated in knockout competitions. The whole idea is to keep the youths occupied in sports and recreational activities,” he said.
