The Sunday News
Ngqwele Dube Sports Correspondent
THE National Federation of Zimbabwe Body Building and Fitness (NFZBBF) is charting a new path following the coming into office of an interim executive last month.
The executive led by Kenny Murungwani is expected to come up with a new constitution, set up provincial structures throughout the country where the sport is not active and revive the fortunes of the sport through affiliating with various international bodies.
NFZBBF spokesman Quiet Shangai said they have already come up with a draft constitution which they have distributed to various stakeholders for consultations before making the final charter.
“We have widely distributed the draft constitution to every stakeholder involved in the sport as we want to have a comprehensive document that would enable us to take the sport forward. We were about to adopt the charter but we felt more people can contribute thus creating an encompassing foundation for the sport.
“We felt people have various experiences in the sport and all input needs to be taken into consideration in coming up with the constitution, which we believe will lay the groundwork for the successful running of the sport in the country,” he said.
Shangai said although representatives from provincial structures met in Harare in March with the intention to elect a new leadership, it was agreed they elevate one of the two vice-presidents and create an interim committee that would steer the sport for the next eight months before elections for a new executive are held.
He said then president Otis Goredema decided to relinquish his post due to personal commitments hence the decision to instal Murungwani as president with Godfrey Nyoni remaining as vice-president.
Isaac Ziyavaya came in as the secretary, Tofara Moyo is his deputy, Prince Mugeyi is the treasurer while Givemore Marume is the representative for male bodybuilders and Precious Mujuru represents the females.
Provincial representatives who sit on the board include Harare chairman Keith Chirimanzi, Guy Ngwarati (Mashonaland West), Ntokozo Mahlangu (Matabeleland South), Simon Gama (Bulawayo) and Farai Verenga, the Mashonaland East chairman.
Several sub-committees were also set up at the meeting held at Bodytech Gym in Harare that saw Gerald Chitsa being put at the helm of the finance and resource mobilisation committee, Danny De Souza heads the judges committee with Sibangani Guzha in charge of the fitness committee.
The organising sub-committee is led by Patrick Zwaremba, George Master is leading the disciplinary committee with Shangai heading the media liaison, communications and public relations committee.
Shangai said the sub-committees are made up of three members.
“We only selected those heading the sub-committees who in turn have the responsibility of choosing other members they would be working with. It is only the public relations committee which is complete with all the others yet to recruit members.
“Others members of the public relations portfolio include Munashe Matimbirodja and Guy Ngwarati,” he said.
De Souza will be responsible for grooming and selecting judges.
Shangai said the revision of the constitution was brought about by the need to bring it in line with current international trends, accommodate the new element of fitness and gender-related aspects.
“The old constitution was crafted just soon after independence by the likes of the late George Takundwa when the sport was administered on a voluntary basis but in the current environment we have to adopt a business model that would ensure the sport is run on a profitable basis.
“There are many changes that have taken place internationally in the sport and we need to be up to date with these developments. Little attention was given to fitness but now it is becoming more prominent hence we have to align with the changes,” said Shangai.
Among other adjustments in the draft constitution include turning NFZBBF into a non-profit company and elections would be held after every four years. Several new committees would be formed among them the women’s committee to encourage the participation of females in the sport, the medical which would be responsible for the collection of medical material on the effects of years of bodybuilding and fitness on the human organism and to prepare material for the wider popularisation of bodybuilding and fitness as a method of improving physical conditioning.
The research and development committee would conduct research into sports psychology and exercise kinesiology as it pertains to bodybuilders and fitness athletes.
Shangai said they would also be affiliating to various international bodybuilding bodies such as World Physique Federation, International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness, National Amateur Bodybuilding Association (International), World Bodybuilding Federation and Musclemania to ensure local athletes take part in international events.
He said another mandate the interim committee has been given is to host three competitions this year, the Mr and Miss Novice that had been scheduled yesterday (Saturday), Mr Iron Man penciled for 7 June and Mr and Miss Zimbabwe set for 1 November.
“We also resolved to ensure more competitions are held outside Harare and for Iron Man we have bids from Kwekwe and Kadoma who want to host the event. For Mr and Miss Zimbabwe, Mutare and Harare have expressed interest in hosting the event. We will go over them and decide on the cities to host the events,” said Shangai.
