Zimbabwe's Minister of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, Lieutenant General (Rtd) Anselem Nhamo Sanyatwe announced the development in Harare recently. Sanyatwe revealed that the Guest of Honour for the event, held under the auspices of the AUSC Region 5, would be Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is also SADC chairperson. “RASA is more than just an awards show. It is a celebration of the spirit of unity, perseverance, and excellence that sport brings to our communities,” said Sanyatwe. “Zimbabwe is honoured to host such a prestigious regional event, and we are fully prepared to deliver a world-class ceremony, he said. The RASA, launched in 2016, recognise and honour top-performing athletes, coaches, administrators, volunteers, and journalists from 10 Region 5 member countries: Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Sanyatwe noted that the event will present Zimbabwe with a significant opportunity to showcase its capacity to host regional events, enhance its international sports profile, and stimulate economic activity across key sectors. He added that a National Steering Committee had already been established to work closely with the AUSC Region 5 Secretariat to oversee logistics, technical standards, hospitality, and security.
The minister emphasised RASA’s role in advancing the African Union blueprint, Agenda 2063, highlighting the power of sport to promote inclusivity, gender equality, and youth development. Region 5 has gained recognition as a development hub for elite athletes through effective delivery of its programmes and activities that include the RASA, Marathon and the ever-growing Region 5 Youth Games. Some of the Region 5 Youth Games alumni include Zambian Collins Mbesuma, who was part of the 2004 edition and countryman Patson Daka, now with Leicester City in England as well as Botswana’s first Olympic medallist, Nijel Amos. These athletes became powerful Region 5 ambassadors, and more stars are expected to emerge through the AUSC Region 5 platform. Sanyatwe highlighted that Zimbabwe has prominently featured on the RASA with Kirsty Coventry, now president of the International Olympic Committee having won the inaugural Sportswoman of the Year award in 2016 and 2017 and Farai Machamire winning the Journalist of the Year award in 2016.
