Story by Lawrence Trusida, Sports Editor
THE Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) is stepping up efforts to strengthen Zimbabwe’s sports value chain after signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the Africa Exhibition Group to host a sports festival in Harare.
The agreement will see Zimbabwe host the Africa Sports and Wellness Expo from August 13 to August 15 at Newlands Country Club, in Harare, an event expected to bring together key players across the sports ecosystem.
The expo is designed to create linkages from grassroots sport to elite performance, while opening opportunities for investment, talent identification and capacity building.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, the SRC Director-Commercial, Sheunopa Vushemakota said the festival aligns with the commission’s mandate to ensure sport contributes meaningfully to economic and social development.
“This expo allows us to bring everyone involved in sport onto one platform, from community level athletes to administrators, coaches, marketers and infrastructure developers. Our focus is to grow the sports value chain so that sport becomes sustainable and economically viable.”
The expo is expected to attract athletes, coaches, schools, scouts, sports marketers, equipment manufacturers and infrastructure developers, creating a rare networking platform for Zimbabwean sport.
“We are excited to bring this platform to Zimbabwe. The idea is to connect African sport to global best practices, while also creating opportunities for local talent, businesses and institutions to showcase what they have,” Africa Exhibition Group’s Communication Director, Trynos Chimusimbe
The festival will place strong emphasis on youth development, wellness, innovation and investment, with exhibitions, panel discussions and live demonstrations expected over the three days.
The expo is also expected to position Zimbabwe as a regional hub for sports development, while unlocking new pathways for athletes and industry players beyond competition.
