ZOOC calls for sponsors

THE 2014 Mopani Zambia Open Organising Committee (ZOOC) has called on the corporate world to partner them in the crusade to host a successful golf tournament.

To successfully host a tournament at Nkana Golf Club in Kitwe for the first time in the history of the club, ZOOC needs K5 million.

And to make that happen, ZOOC led by chairperson, Emmanuel Mutati yesterday hosted a breakfast meeting at the Southern Sun Ridgeway Hotel in Lusaka for midlands-based potential sponsors.

Mutati said hosting a tournament of such magnitude called for huge mobilisation of funds.

He said it was also an opportunity for companies to market themselves by getting prime advertising spots at Nkana Golf Club during and after the Zambia Open.

“The K5 million we need is a lot of money and it is not in a ZOOC account or anywhere. It will have to come from you the corporate firms and we are offering attractive packages that will suit your tastes and desires.

“Your coming on board will just motivate us to go even further in the promotion of sport in the country,” Mutati said.

The committee has also broken the sponsorship into various packages ranging from platinum, gold, silver and bronze depending on how much money a company contributes towards the tournament.

Mutati said Nkana Golf Club should also be taken back to its original high standard course as it was one of the most challenging courses in the region.

And Commerce Deputy Minister, Miles Sampa said sport played a vital role in the development of the country.

He said the money ploughed into sports for infrastructure development was an example of meaningful development.

 Sampa challenged the various companies in the country to contribute towards the hosting of the 2014 Zambia Open and help bring pride not just to Kitwe but the country as a whole.

“You the captains of industry can make this work easily. It is your assistance to the community through sport that motivates the masses.

“Sport is vital in national development and it is gratifying to hear that Mopani has invested US$300, 000 in the 2014 Zambia Open which you could have taken to your profits but you decided to help the sport,” he said.

Zambia Golf Union president Charles Mwanza praised Mopani and other sponsors for their contributions and pledges made towards the Zambia Open which he described as a premier sports event in the country.

“Mopani has been helping a great deal, they have upgraded Nkana Golf Club and they are sponsoring the Zambia Open too.

“These are the partnerships that are important and I would urge Nkana Golf Club to put in stringent measures to safeguard this relationship. We don’t want to hear break-ups over issues like poor management,” Mwanza said.