The Sunday News
ZIMBABWEAN parliamentarians were too good for their Zambian counterparts in a football match played at Luveve Stadium yesterday with the hosts winning 4-1, while the visitors won the netball game 13-11.
The visiting Zambians were the first to leap with joy after beating Zimbabwe in netball and the home side also maintained their dominance over their neighbours in football after having won a similar match last year.
In the football match, Zimbabwe took an early lead when Eric Murai released a shot from the left flank that took the Zambian goalkeeper by surprise. However, the visitors levelled the scores through their captain, Whiteson Banda after some wonderful footwork.
Man of the match, Trevor Saruwaka turned on the heat and netted three goals before half time. Saruwaka was all over the pitch as he dictated the pace playing a central role in Zimbabwe’s victory.
In netball, Zambia dominated from the start although Zimbabwe fought back in the second and third quarters, at one stage looking as if they would overturn the deficit but it was not to be and the visitors again walked away victors retaining the trophy they won in the reverse fixture played in Livingstone last year.
Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Mudenda, who was guest of honour at the event, said the games were an act of reciprocation on the part of Zimbabwe after they had been hosted by Zambia last year in Livingstone.
He said they were also using the games to reach out to parliamentarians within the SADC region while also allowing local MPs to engage each other in an informal setting.
“Our MPs come from different parties and only interact during Parliamentary duties but we feel it is important they socialise through sport and network in a different environment.
“We want to make this a yearly occurrence and we will also be engaging our counterparts in Malawi with a view of inviting them to such an event. We believe such gatherings should be extended to all countries in SADC as we build closer ties,” said Mudenda.
Zambia’s Minister of Gender and Child Rights Professor Nkandu Luo said they were happy with their stay and was humbled by the splendour of the Khami Ruins, which they visited yesterday morning.
“We are really having a great time interacting with our colleagues here and seeing the city. We visited Khami this morning and it is an impressive place that exhibits the intelligence of Africans.
“The way it was built has signs of great intellect and I believe if we use that intellect we can go far as a continent,” she said.
The Zambians depart for their country today.
