By Simon Liseli
CHINESE local business community in Zambezi region, have sponsored a tune of One hundred and eight thousand (N$180 000) for renovating Katima Mulilo Sport Complex, ahead of hosting the 18th edition of the Namibian Newspaper Cup tournament to kick- off during the joyful Easter weekend this year.
This was confirmed by Zambezi Regional Governor Lawrence Alfea Sampofu during an interview with the Caprivi Vision, He divulged that some of the money that was sponsored by Chinese business people in Katima Mulilo was given to charity organizations such as Cheshire home, Mainstream foundation and Buikezezo project that look after vulnerable children in the region.
Other business communities donated some building materials such as mesh wire for the security fence of fields, cement, sand and concrete stones are Kamunu wholesale, WLD construction and many other stakeholders promised to pledge for support.
Zambezi region will host the Namibian newspaper cup for the first time during Easter holiday and other thirteen regions will flock into Katima Mulilo for the cup.
“In August 2016 when we went for bidding we were found that we are not ready because our sport complex did not have required facilities to host the cup such as the VIP toilets, pavilion was not in good condition and there was no security fence so we lost it to Erongo region and we were given chance to prepare and as for now we are busy preparing and ready to host the cup and soon floodlights will be installed” said Zambezi Governor.
According to governor Sampofu, the host of the Namibian newspaper cup will boost business economy in the region because the other 13 regions will be coming to Katima Mulilo. The event is being organized by the Zambezi regional council in support of the ministry of national youth, sports and culture. The ministry will also provide cement and concrete stones to extend and renovate the netball court.
“I think the whole work will finish in the first two weeks of February, we should make sure that everything is done and to the residents of this region we call them to come on board and support as we still have some touches here and there” he concluded.
However, Speaking to Caprivi Vision Sport desk, Regional sport officer Mr. Ben Lumponjani said his office together with the Namibia School Sport Union (NSSU) are in preparations of the Namibian Newspaper Cup, athletics and youth games that will be introduced to youth in the region and that some renovations at the Katima Mulilo sport complex are underway.
“We are ready to host the Namibian Newspaper cup and soon security fence of soccer field will be completed since materials are available which were donated by some stakeholders in our region” said Mr. Lumponjani.
The Regional Sport Officer mentioned that the Ministry of Sport, Youth and National Service is geared up with money for renovations of Katima Mulilo Sport Complex’s bathing room and toilet block, pavilion, wooden benches for both netball court and soccer field that will be made by students from Zambezi Vocational Training Centre (ZVTC).
He added that the security fence for netball court will be made higher than the current fence including the removal of its surface that will be replaced with the new surface.
Mr. Lumponjani hopes with confident that all the work at Katima sport complex will be finishing by the end of next month (February). The installation of floodlight will be also made with the installation supply equipment and technical support by Northern Electricity Distributor (NORED).
“We were delayed by responses from our donors (business communities) because they wanted to handover their donations to the Regional governor who has been busy with his official duties outside the region, otherwise we would have started with renovations last year November and our people in the region must give a helping hand to all our organs that prepare sport” he noted.
He appealed for assistance from the region of renovating the Katima Sport Complex on voluntary basis as the work continues for the cup to be hosted in the region. Netball will be hosted for the first time in Zambezi since previously there was only soccer that used to be played in the Namibian Newspaper Cup tournament.
“We are very much lucky that we will be the first to host netball since the start of the Namibian Cup with the aims of identifying players who can play in the national team in both soccer and netball”.
“With accommodation to the people who will be coming I don’t think there will be a problem because we have lodges, guest houses and school hostels within the region that can accommodate them” he concluded.
He further said that the current materials that are being used were donated by WLD who contributed trucks of sand, cement and concrete stones. While Shirus Bhamjee donated some roles of fence wires and Chinese businesses who donated monies to help with renovations and many other stakeholders promised to pledge the support.
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