By Otniel Hembapu
WINDHOEK – The Sam Nujoma Stadium will be a real hive of activity this weekend when the inaugural edition of the Laura McLeod-Katjirua Cup gets underway in the capital on Saturday.
The tournament, which features football and netball teams, was officially launched last month in Windhoek. It is dedicated to Khomas Regional Governor Laura McLeod-Katjirua as a token of appreciation for all the personal sacrifices she’s made as one of the torchbearers of the struggle for Namibian independence, particularly her activism in the fight for women’s rights.
The competition is set to become an annual event on the Namibian sporting calendar and this year will only feature football and netball teams from four regions, namely, Khomas, Omaheke, Erongo and Otjozongdjupa.
Organizers have however indicated that the tournament will in future include more regions, depending on the availability of resources.
All matches will be played on a round-robin basis with the two top teams proceeding to the final, slated for the Legare Stadium in Gobabis on July 26.
The winner of the men’s football category will walk away with N$20 000 and the 2nd placed finishers get N$10 000, while the winner of the netball section is guaranteed N$7 000 and the runners-up take home a consolation N$3 000.
In her short speech, Governor McLeod-Katjirua heaped praise on the organizers for coming up with the initiative. She added that the aim of the competition is to create more awareness in the fight against gender-based violence (GBV) and other social ills currently holding Namibian women down.