PBZ backing to heighten Kizimkazi festival
PREPARATIONS for the month-long Kizimkazi Festival started here with the People’s Bank of Zanzibar (PBZ) donating sports gear for 22 teams to compete in different games as part of the celebrations that climax on August 31st this year.
PBZ director for Commercial, Eddie Mhina, and the Bank’s Marketing manager, Seif Suleiman handed over the sports gears tracksuits, whistles, Jerseys, balls, and sports gloves for football, wrestle, Nage, and Kabaddi competitions scheduled to kick off on the 31st July of this year in different grounds in the region.
“We are happy to be the main sponsor for this year’s Kizimkazi festival because it falls under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). In addition to sponsoring sports competitions, we have planned to fund several projects in Kizimkazi coastal village including school development,” Mhina said declining to disclose the funds allocated by his bank for the project.
The festival sports competition organising team chairperson, Mpate Abdalla Ambar received the sports equipment at the handover ceremony held at the Regional Commissioner (RC) for Unguja South Region offices, Tunguu area, where he thanked PBZ for the donation.
Hassan Bahurera Rajab, the Secretary of the Kizimkazi Festival Sports competition organising team said that the grounds to be used are Kitogani, Jambiani, Makunduchi, and Kibuteni and that other entertainment sports including dhow/boat race are expected to be sponsored by the CRDB bank.
“The whole Kizimkazi festival programmes include various development activities to be officiated by leaders from both Zanzibar and union government before the climax is graced by President Samia Suluhu Hassan. It is another busy period for the people of Kizimkazi, but respected Leaders including RC will soon have a press release to release details,” he said.
Kizimkazi Festival is among several initiatives to promote, especially Unguja South region and the entire Zanzibar, nationally and internationally and President Samia Suluhu Hassan is known to be the founder.
Kizimkazi festival started as a farewell ceremony for President Samia in August 2015 after completing her tenure as Makunduchi Member of Parliament (MP) and getting appointed CCM presidential running mate under the late John Magufuli.
The festival was later in 2016, transformed into ‘Samia Day’ celebrations at Kizimkazi Mkunguni ancestral place of President Dr Samia, but later, in 2018 the name was again changed to Kizimkazi Day, incorporating neighbouring villages of Kizimkazi Dimbani, Mtende, Kibuteni and Muyuni.
