From Ray Bande in Mutare
MINING concern Mbada diamonds yesterday donated US$15 000 cash and assorted football equipment to Mutare Press Club as well as their social soccer outfit Eastern Scribes. Eastern Scribes was recently formed by journalists based in Mutare. The

donation, which was handed over by the company’s chief executive officer Patience Khumalo at colourful ceremony held at a local hotel in the eastern border city, was hailed by several veteran journalists who attended the function.
Speaking during the handover ceremony, Mutare Press Club chairman Sydney Saize thanked the mining concern for assisting journalists in the eastern border city.

“I really want to applaud Mbada Diamonds for their gesture of goodwill toward Mutare Press Club as well as our team —  Eastern Scribes. We are aware of the numerous community developmental projects that the company is undertaking here in Manicaland as well as other places within the country and we really want to applaud them for their efforts.

“As Eastern Scribes we will go out of our way to justify this sponsorship package. As journalists based in Mutare, we also hope to create a good working relationship with Mbada Diamond.
“Let me also hasten to praise the efforts of our colleague in the media Tafadzwa Chiremba who is now with Mbada for his strenuous efforts towards the success of this event.

“He is one person who has always urged us to create a good working relationship with Mbada and the fruits of such a good working relationship are now there for all to see,” said Saize.
Guest of honour during the event, acting Manicaland Provincial Administrator Cosmas Chiringa, called on fellow diamond mining companies to assist in developmental initiatives in areas they are operating in.

“As we celebrate this gesture from Mbada Diamonds, we really want to take this opportunity to call on other diamond mining companies to emulate what Mbada is doing in Mutare and in other places in the country.
“We are all aware of the state-of-the-art houses that they constructed in Arda Transau for the relocated villagers from Chiadzwa as well as the recently launched Mbada

Diamonds Presidential Scholarship scheme. The list is long and we really want to applaud them for the good work that they are doing," he said.
Mdada Diamonds administration officer Major Mhlangu said his company is delighted to partner journalists in the development of their careers.
“We are excited to partner journalists in pursuit of the development of their careers and profession. As Mbada Diamonds we will always harness diamonds for the people especially those in the area we operate in,” he said.

Several speakers, who included Voluntary Media of Zimbabwe board member Bishop Sebastain Bakare, Editor’s Forum representative Barnabas Thondlana and MISA Zimbabwe representative Kelvin Jakachira, praised Mbada for the initiative.
The Mutare Press Club, who are now officially based at Mount View Hotel, will give platform to journalists based in the city to interact with different newsmakers.