MARATHON POSTPONED FOR MOHADI

Beitbridge Municipality’s 10-year-old Marathon held in June annually has this year been postponed to give way to a similar event celebrating Vice-President Kembo Mohadi’s legacy as perhaps the most senior politician to emerge from the country’s southernmost district. Town clerk Loud Ramakgapola confirmed the postponement saying their event, themed Running Against Litter, will now be held on July 12 along the Harare Road.

“We have postponed to give way to VicePresident Mohadi’s similar event when our dates clashed,” he said.

“It’s to the town’s advantage to have two similar events because both will create movement that is important for business.

“We have communicated with the relevant sports bodies and we are in support of the Run for Hope marathon.”

For Beitbridge sporting or any events that draw crowds are welcomed with both hands for a town that is used to transient crowds.

The emergence of the marathon Run for Hope in honour of Mohadi has, however, been met with mixed feelings, with a section of the society saying another date could have been slotted instead of muscling out a traditional event.

Other Zimbabweans, most likely loyal to the ruling Zanu PF party, felt everything else should stop when a national leader’s event takes place in any area.

Some running and sports enthusiasts felt both events were welcome because they increased their chances to run and have fun.

Earlier this year, as traditional in the last nine years, Beitbridge Municipality announced its event for June 21 saying being the 10th anniversary, it would be bigger and better. Less than three weeks from the date, now a regular on the National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe (NAAZ) calendar as a national event, Mohadi’s marathon was announced that it would take place on the same date.

“Municipality of Beitbridge did not write to the Sports and Recreation Commission for its event to be sanctioned. NAAZ has just been holding these marathons without them being sanctioned by the SRC.

We applied for ours, we chose a date and it was approved,” said one of the organisers.

“If you are a reporter with national interest, you must know that such events involving national leaders come first,” he charged, refusing to share his name, which, however, was later sourced elsewhere.

A provincial executive of NAAZ, however, said the Beitbridge Municipality was well above board, but as usual, it could not come before Mohadi’s planned marathon.

“The registration of Beitbridge Mayor’s Half Marathon is well above board, but we decided it could not clash with Vice-President Mohadi’s event,” the official, who asked not to be named, said. Newsday

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