Faith Ndou
MASVINGO CITY-The Ministry of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture has recorded significant progress in advancing sport, arts and cultural development in Masvingo Province, Provincial Director Rangarirai Gobvu has said.
Gobvu made the remarks during a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Charles Austin Theatre which brought together representatives from the business community, tertiary institutions, the National Association of Primary Heads (NAPH), the National Association of Secondary Heads (NASH), the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) and various parastatals.
He said the Ministry, through its technical arms, the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC), the Zimbabwe National Boxing and Wrestling Control Board and the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) has strengthened grassroots talent development while integrating sport into the mainstream education system.
“We have recorded notable progress in positioning sport as a key pillar of national development. Through grassroots programmes and the diversification of sporting disciplines, we are building a more inclusive and structured sporting ecosystem that creates opportunities for professional growth, social mobility and community engagement,” said Gobvu.
Among the key highlights presented at the meeting was the successful hosting of the ICC Men’s Under-19 Cricket World Cup warm up matches at Masvingo Sports Club which attracted four nations Bangladesh, Pakistan, New Zealand and Zimbabwe.
Gobvu also revealed that Rufaro High School Women’s Football Club earned promotion to the Women’s Premier Soccer League for the 2026 season while seven athletes from Masvingo Province represented Zimbabwe at the African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Games held in Namibia in 2025.
In boxing, Masvingo based officials Tambudzai Dera and Patience Ngubo officiated at World Boxing Council (WBC) Championship bouts in South Africa and Zambia.
The Tugwi-Mukosi Marathon has also been adopted as an annual event on the National Athletics Calendar.
He further noted that the province continues to produce national-level officials and athletes including Premier Soccer League match commissioners and referees as well as national netball coaches.
The arts sector has also made notable strides with groups and individuals including Vharazipi and Company, Taclar Mamoyo and Shepherd Chidima excelling at both national and international levels. The Jeketera ReNyaningwe Traditional Dance Group is set to represent Zimbabwe at an international cultural festival in India from 28 January to 16 February.
Gobvu called on stakeholders to partner with government in upgrading and refurbishing sporting infrastructure to meet international standards, saying such investments would boost sports tourism and unlock economic opportunities for the province.
“Investment in modern sporting infrastructure gives Masvingo a platform to bid for major international events. Hosting mega events stimulates business across various sectors and strengthens the Masvingo brand, as we witnessed with the recent ICC competitions,” he said.
He added that increased mass participation in sport and recreation would contribute to social transformation including reducing drug and substance abuse among youths while improving the utilisation of facilities such as Chesvingo Swimming Pool, Mucheke Stadium and Multi-Purpose Courts.
