Zim ready to host Afro-Basket, All-Africa Games qualifiers

By The Standard and Newsday | Feb. 20, 2015

ALL is in place for the Afro-Bsket and All-Africa Games qualifiers that will run from tomorrow to February 28 at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair.

GRACE CHIRANGANDE SPORTS REPORTER

South Africa were expected to jet in yesterday afternoon while Botswana were expected to drive in by evening. The Seychelles are expected tonight with Angola due tomorrow morning. Basketball Union of Zimbabwe (BUZ) spokesperson Joe Mujuru confirmed.

“We are now ready for the tournament and everything is almost in place and we want to appeal to Bulawayo fans to come and support the matches. So far we have had assistance from the Sports ministry and we are grateful. Teams will be staying at the Rainbow Hotel and the officials will be at Glen Lodge. We want to thank Glen Lodge for the assistance in terms of donations,” he said.

He added that despite having assistance from the Sports ministry, BUZ is still appealing to the business community for funds to see them through. Mujuru said Zimbabwe’s hosting of the games is a great social and economic advantage for the country.

Zimbabwe women go through their preparation for the Afro-Basketball and All-Africa Games Qualifies

“There is a social and economic benefit for such an event and Zimbabwe will be put on the map. With five countries coming into Zimbabwe, we can as well call them sports tourists and this goes a long way in putting the country on the map,” he added.

He said he was confident Zimbabwean teams would make a mark in the competition.

“We want to qualify for the All-Africa Games and the Afro-Basket championships and I’m very optimistic that we would win. As you know our women’s team qualified for the last edition of the Afro-Basket competition and I believe they have all it takes to make it again,” Mujuru said.