Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation, Kirsty Coventry has been tasked to furnish Parliament with a roadmap regarding the resumption of the country’s football activities.
The Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) recently announced that low contact sporting activities can now resume following the easing of Covid-19 lockdown by the government.
The sporting activities, however, excluded football which has not been played locally since March last year.
Speaking in Parliament yesterday, Member of Parliament for Kambuzuma, Willias Madzimure said the Minister of Sports, Arts, and Culture has to update the August house on what she intends to do regarding those participating in sporting activities who have lost out on several opportunities.
“We now have one season gone without young men kicking a football, football is a sport and our country as Zimbabwe is expected to compete, I implore the Minister of sport and culture to come to this House and produce a report as to what she has been doing from last year and what she intends to do with our children who are losing several opportunities. If we look at Tino Kadewere Mr Speaker right now in France, he can pay us all as Members of Parliament one month with his weekly wages,” said Madzimure.
He said a lot of countries are developed through sporting activities, which contribute significantly to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
“Right now, we expect our cricketers in Abu Dhabi to do wonders, where we are now competing with countries like Afghanistan where there are bombs every day – 500 Rand is unacceptable. You then blame our team, they are mediocre, they do not understand the sport and the like but the local league is not running at the moment. Our athletes, you expect them to go to the Olympics in Japan considering how COVID-19 cases are getting down, the Olympics might be held this year and we expect our children to go there and compete. We have the resources,” he said
“I think the Minister of Sport as a sports person herself, an athlete herself, a great athlete must at least show that she was appointed to be a Minister because of the special skills that she has and the experience that she has.
“I implore the Minister to come and tell us when our people are going to start to kick the football in this country and what she has done from the time when we were denied the chance to host the cup of nations match against Algeria.”
Madzimure said Coventry has to also give an update on the refurbishments that need to be done at the country’s stadia and their current state.
