ACCREDITATION for the revised Zimbabwe National Youth Games has been opened and will run up until a day before the sporting jamboree roars into life on August 17.

More than 16 000 athletes and officials are expected to take part in Zimbabwe’s version of the Olympics which is being hosted by Matabeleland North province where 22 sport codes will be on offer.

The Metropolitan province of Bulawayo will play host to two of the codes namely hockey and  cricket while the rest of the disciplines will be held in the hosting province.

“Accreditation is on now and will be open up until August 16,” said the hosting province’s chief executive officer for the local organizing committee, Burzil Dube.

Meanwhile, a high powered delegation from both the Ministry of sport and recreation as well as the Sports and Recreation has been dispatched to Bulawayo and is texpected to proceed to Matabeleland North on Tuesday.

Projects manager for the Games, Martin Dururu said they had fruitful meetings with the two Ministers of State for Bulawayo and Matabeleland North, Eunice Sandi Moyo and Cain Mathema and they also set up a sub local organizing committee which will be subservient to the main one in Matabeleland North.

“We are basically laying out a foundation ahead of the teams’ visit. We have already set up a sub-committee to run things here in Bulawayo and we will then move over to Fatima High School and Marist Brothers High School before proceeding to Hwange and Victoria Falls to set up similar committees,” said Dururu.

Fatima High School in Lupane district will play host to Under-18 volleyball with tables tennis in the same age group set to be held at Marist Brothers High School in Dete.

Dururu said heads of various institutions have been engaged so that they have a buy in into the Games.

“We will define terms of reference for these sub committees and their working relationship with the main local organizing committee. Basically we want to consolidate and capacity build them so that we are all ready to welcome teams as they start to arrive next week,” said Dururu.

He said the official opening of the Games will be held at the Colliery Stadium in Hwange at a date to be advised in due course.

“We will stand guided by the Minister of Sport and Recreation in terms of the date as well as the guest of honour. The Honourable Minister Makhosini Hlongwane is working with his counterpart, the Resident Minister for Matabeleland North on the identity of the guest of honour and other key logistics,” said Dururu.

@skhumoyo2000.