Story by Mhlomuli Ncube
THE Dete area of Hwange District came alive over the weekend as 20 teams competed in the inaugural Jacob Mudenda Soccer Tournament, a grassroots initiative designed to identify and nurture young football talent.
The tournament, named the Rhino Cup, was initiated by Advocate Jacob Mudenda, Speaker of Parliament and Secretary-General of the ruling ZANU-PF party. Beyond football, the event carried a strong message against drug and substance abuse while promoting environmental conservation.
Local residents, drawn from across multiple wards, welcomed the initiative as a meaningful contribution to youth development in the community.
“What the speaker did today is very important in this community. We want to keep giving hope and nurturing our young people,” a guardian said.
“We are very clear, and we will support initiatives like this one, it is important to raise responsible youths in our country,” a community member said.
“When programmes like this come to our communities, it helps in raising our children through awareness; the speaker is also creating an important platform for talent exposure,” a local said.
Organisers emphasised that the tournament was not solely about winning on the pitch, but about instilling positive values and providing opportunities for young people to develop their skills.
“We believe in these young people, and we take pride in making sure they do something positive with their lives,” Rhino Zimbabwe president, Ndodana Masuku said .
“We are partners in the game and in conservation; this is our business to ensure we are all stewards of our goals in life while taking care of our flora and fauna,” PDC Operations Director, David Kuvawoga.
With the government’s thrust to widen and support grassroots talent identification through different programmes, young people are getting exposure which takes them to elite sports competitions.
