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By Joyce Mukucha
The Minister of Sports, Arts and Recreation, Kirsty Coventry has appealed to the Government to increase the budget for sporting activities in the country.
Speaking during the welcome ceremony for the 2021 International Cricket Council (ICC) Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifiers in Harare yesterday, Minister Coventry made it clear to President Mnangagwa that for sport to effectively contribute to the economic development of the nation as well as raise Zimbabwe’s flag high, there was a need for treasury to prioritize the sector.
She also emphasised that if sports are fully supported through an adequate budget, performance can be also improved with the Ministry together with other associations becoming able to spread the sport to all corners of Zimbabwe and the world at large thereby improving competition which as a result attract more tourists.
“Your Excellency, we are grateful to you and the Government of Zimbabwe for approving the ICC to host the Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe. The support and commitment shown by Government will definitely make this event a resounding success. I know you profoundly expect sport to significantly contribute towards economic development and transformation within our National Development Strategy 1.
“In that vein, I passionately appeal for increased budgetary allocation towards the sport and recreation sector during the upcoming 2022 National budgetary process by Treasury Adequate resourcing will put my Ministry, National Associations and other delivery agents in a stronger position to take sports to all corners of the country, improve performance standards on the competition arena and stage more sports competitions such as the ICC ) Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifiers that attract more tourists and help to put Zimbabwe on the world map,” she said.
Additionally, Minister Coventry stated that sport plays a crucial role in uniting nations, peacebuilding as well as strengthening business relations.
“There is no doubt that cricket brings nations together. Again, as a sport code, cricket has demonstrated tremendous capacity to transcend politics and many other marginal social binaries. It is now acknowledged that sport in any environment can contribute towards increased social cohesion, sense of pride and enhanced national identity.”
The countries participating in the ICC tournament are Zimbabwe, the United States of America, Bangladesh, West Indies, Thailand, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
In his remarks at the same event, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said it was an honour for Zimbabwe to be hosting such a historic event.
“We are privileged and honoured to be hosting a tournament of such magnitude and global significance, bringing together nine(9) teams over fifteen days, competing at our venues across our capital city of Harare to three remaining places at the 2022 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, to be hosted in New Zealand,” he said.
He emphasised the need for gender equality and changing the narrative when it comes to the profile and status of women in sport highlighting that females also need to be recognised in the same their male counterparts do.
“I’m a big believer in gender equality and passionate about equal rights, equal pay, and equal recognition, not only when it comes to our female athletes, but for women in general.
“For too long in too many sports across the globe, there hasn’t been enough attention paid to the woman’s side of sports. There is a need for radical change in the status and profile of our women’s sports so that women sporting success is routinely held in the same high esteem as that of males. The professionalism of women’s sport and the closing of a gender prize money gap are crucial steps forward.”
Mnangagwa also said he was delighted to note that women and girls were becoming strong enough to stand up for themselves and confidently take part in key developmental, political, and leadership positions.
“Over the years we have seen women holding tremendous inroads in many facets of life and now we have seen women holding key corporate and industrial positions, occupying important political and leadership positions as well as owning businesses and property- all once a vestige of male domination.”
