Sports Council launches five-year Strategic Plan

MINISTER of Sport, Youth and Child Development Emmanuel Mulenga presents the NSCZ Strategic Plan after officially launching it on Wednesday at Government Complex in Lusaka. PICTURE: NOCZ Media

NATIONAL Sports Council of Zambia (NSCZ) has launched a five-year long Strategic Plan which has been aimed at enhancing the development of sport in the country.

The plan, which is the first in the country’s sporting history, was launched today at Government Complex in Lusaka and will run from 2021 to 2026.

It is a move that has elated government who believe that with such a document in place, NSCZ has set itself in a position of producing winning athletes in various disciplines of sport.

Speaking at the launch, Minister of Sport, Youth and Child Development Emmanuel Mulenga commended the Patrick Mutimushi-led Council for making itself ‘proactive to critical areas’ with their Strategic Plan.

“By having this Strategic Plan, National Sports Council of Zambia will be proactive rather than reactive to critical areas of focus that shall cause delivery of champions of sport in our country and a healthy citizenry”.

The minister believes with the document in place, NSCZ should provide a direction for sport in the country.

He said he was hopeful that with the plan in place, NSCZ should anticipate scenarios that would disrupt the development of sport in the country before they happen.

He further added that it would help the Board come up with realistic goals that would assist the development of the sector.

“With the launch of the plan, it is the expectation of government and the people to see enhanced sports development programmes and activities at NSCZ through increased operations to access the resources needed for the business world to produce champions”.

He urged the Board and their stakeholders to ensure the plan's implementation as well as coming up with benchmarks that would help in monitoring and evaluating progress within the stated period.

He said: “This will only be a reality if all stakeholders further embrace the implementation of the plan and commit resources to it”.

Mutimushi

Meanwhile is his opening remarks, Mutimushi who is NSCZ Board Chairperson said he was looking forward to providing the direction of sport in the country through the implementation of the plan.

NOCZ view on the Strategic Plan:

Speaking after the launch, National Olympic Committee of Zambia (NOCZ) president Alfred Foloko said the plan had been designed to benefit athletes and the health of the citizens through sport.

“We cannot have sport without a plan so for this I think the winner here is the athlete. This is a plan that will ensure that we have sports champions," he said.

“I’m happy that it has come out clearly to say this is just not about sport but a healthy Zambia.”

He commended government through NSCZ for coming up with the document.

“For us as NOCZ this is a welcome document and also a welcome move for the Olympic movement. Since inception we have never had a working document so we are very happy with the plan taken by government” .

“Through national sports federation we will help them implement, launching is one thing, implementation is another, so we will ensure in terms of implementing.

“We cannot have sport without a plan, so for this I think the winner here is the athlete. This is a plan that will ensure that we have sports champions." - Foloko