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Sports Reporter
SPORT, Arts and Culture Minister, Andrew Langa, says his ministry will give equal attention and support to all the national sports associations in their efforts to develop sport.
Langa made the remarks during a dinner hosted by the Sports Commission for all the national associations at the Rainbow Towers on Thursday evening, where the minister also outlined his ministry’s vision for sport.

The dinner was attended by most sports associations, the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee, the Sports Commission and the corporate sector.
“I wish to point out that as a Government we had not done enough for sports development but I do not want to be hanged for anything that happened before July 31st, 2013, but you can only hang me for what happens after my appointment as Minister of Sport.

“I really want to say that all associations will be given the same ear, the same opportunities and the same assistance for the development of sport in this country.

“Now that there is a new ministry of sport, arts and culture in the country, we should ensure that we give everyone the same ear.
“We are a new creation and let me accord you the sport associations as new creations in your fields in this country,” said Langa.

Langa said his new ministry was keen on  getting more people participating in sport by increasing the number of community-based programmes as well as giving a facelift to some of the facilities that are in a state of neglect within the local authorities.

“We will also emphasise the upgrading of sports facilities and equipment and promotion of sports development.
“On the issue of infrastructure we know we have our school-going children, who can play soccer, but we cannot identify them because they are in rural areas but now through our long-term objective, we will try to ensure that those children, through the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, are noticed.

“My ministry will emphasise the development and promotion of high-performance sports products for regional and international glory.
“Some of the activities will include establishing a national school for high-performance sport, creating an athletes’ support system for podium-performance and taking advantage of regional and international bilateral relationships in sport for active linkages in support of high-performance development,” said Langa.

Langa also said the Ministry of Sport, Arts and Culture will soon be making consultations on setting up centres at all levels across the country.

“We are going take consultative strategic planning workshops to develop road maps for the sports centres and these will cascade from national level to provincial, districts, wards, villages and cells and will cater for children who are still in schools, those out of schools and colleges.

“The consultations will be broad-based and will include ministries like Primary and Secondary Education, Higher and Tertiary Education, Tourism and Hospitality, Media and Information, marketing and events agencies, sporting codes and associations, Sports and Recreation Commission and training institutions and many other people.

“So, it means we will have officers up to district levels who will be able to work with the relevant stakeholders and see that children who can play football are not only at Dynamos, Harare City or Highlanders but could come from Chirumhanzi, Mount Darwin, Filabusi or Plumtree.
“We still have the talent in our rural areas but because we cannot reach them, we are left to look for talent where in areas easily accessible.  We will also revise our current Sport and Recreation Commission policy and align it to the revised national constitution, ZimAsset and other key sectors so that we align the role of the SRC towards the ministry’s priorities.