Striving for Excellence: Zimbabwe's Drive to Foste...

Striving for Excellence: Zimbabwe's Drive to Foster Combat Sports

Emily Jesaya - The Standard — **Hon Emily Jesaya**

Patience Muchemwa

The Zimbabwe National Boxing and Wrestling Control Board is striving to contribute effectively towards the attainment of the National Development Strategy-1 goal of increased participation in sport and recreation, particularly in combat sport and improved performances in the boxing and wrestling disciplines.

However, the board secretariat says it harbours a lot of faith in its leadership at policy level as it pursues its vision to be an excelling combat sporting nation by 2030.

These sentiments were expressed recently when the Deputy Minister of Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture, Honorable Emily Jesaya, and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mr Nicholas Moyo, made a familiarization tour to the ZNBWCB offices located at the National Sport Stadium in Harare.

During this working visit, Acting Chairperson of ZNBWCB, Mr Robert Gonye, presented some of the challenges they are facing to the Minister.

“The growth of professional boxing and wrestling into a thriving industry in Zimbabwe can become a reality as we believe we can create employment in both disciplines.

“Our key thrust in this as a Board working with our Ministry is to review and amend the Boxing and Wrestling Control Act (Chapter 25:02). As a nation in order for us to build a combat sport business ecosystem and churn out champions that conquer the world in combat sport, we hope that the amendment of the Act can give us the impetus to do so,” he said.

In an interview with Zim Now on the sidelines of the tour, the Acting CEO of ZNBWCB, Mrs Priscila Kadungure, said the Honourable Deputy Minister has a wish to see boxing reacting the rural parts of the country and because she also has a rural background, she wants to see the inclusion of such spaces.

“We are going to maximize on the resources that are there and to make use of the two offices for the growth of combat sport in Zimbabwe. Particularly, the review of our act is key and urgent,” she said.

The Ministerial delegation was accompanied by Dr Eugenia Chidhakwa who is the Sports Director in the Ministry of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture.

After the meeting, the Acting CEO led them around the organisation to meet with some staff members.

Meanwhile, Juluka Boxing Academy from Epworth recently held a successful boxing tournament and awards gala at which personalities who have helped develop the sport were acknowledged by way of certificates and medals. They included the founding chairman of the four-decades old club, Mr Sakambuyi, veteran promoter Mr Stalin Mau Mau, the media, academia and administrators, among others.

Some boxers who took part in the 30-plus bouts fought over the night will go on to represent Harare province in the national championships to be hosted by Mashonaland West next weekend.