Today’s marathon event, the16th edition of the Econet Victoria Falls Marathon themed “Road to Victory”, is offering the full Econet 42.2km race, as well as the 21.1km Econet Half Marathon for the seasoned marathon runners.
With a roar that only rivals the mighty Victoria Falls itself, the 2024 Econet Victoria Falls Marathon kicked off early this morning, as an estimated 5 500 athletes and fitness enthusiasts from across the world got off the starting blocks, runnig in the backdrop of the awe-inspiring ‘Smoke that Thunders’ and Seventh Natural Wonder of the World.
Today’s marathon event, the16th edition of the Econet Victoria Falls Marathon themed “Road to Victory”, is offering the full Econet 42.2km race, as well as the 21.1km Econet Half Marathon for the seasoned marathon runners.
The event is also offering the Steward Bank 10.5km relay half marathon, featuring two runners in each team, completing a total of 21km. Last but not least, today’s event is featuring the hugely popular EcoSure 7.5 km Family Fun.
Earlier on, last year’s full marathon winners Blessing Waison (male category) and Ethel Pangiso (female category) expressed their determination to defend their titles.
The Harare-based Waison, a Cadence Athletics Club runner, improved his time by three minutes to win last year’s Econet Victoria Falls Marathon in 2 hours 15 minutes and 11 seconds. Waison beat second-placed Elijah Mabhunu by more than two minutes (2:17:21), while Lyno Muchena was third in 2 hours 17 minutes and 30 seconds.
Prosper Mutwira finished fourth in 2 hours 17 minutes and 41 seconds, while veteran runner Mike Fokoroni dropped from fifth to eighth last year, finishing in 2 hours 22 minutes and 32 seconds.
Fresh from winning the Tanganda Half Marathon in Mutare last week, Black Rhinos athlete Moses Tarakinyu hopes to defend his Econet Victoria Falls Marathon 21km title. Last year he finished the race in 1 hour 4 minutes and 19 seconds, winning the race for the third consecutive time.
Another top Zimbabwean long-distance runner, Isaac Mpofu is participating in today’s race as part of his preparations for the Olympics later this year.
“In terms of my preparations, everything is well in place. I have been putting in the work as the countdown to the Olympics continues. As part of my preparations, I will be taking part in the Econet Victoria Falls Marathon,” Mpofu said.
“This should allow me and my coaches to see where we are in terms of preparations.”
Econet chief operating officer Kezito Makuni, speaking in Victoria Falls yesterday, said he was excited that Econet is successfully hosting the Marathon again this year.
“We are excited at the level of participation by atheletes from our country, from the region and from around the world at the Econet Vic Falls Marathon,” Makuni said.
“It is clear this event now transcends the competition of the atheletes and the promotion of health and fitness, and has evolved into a celebration of life, family, friendships and the spirit of multicultural community that this resort town embodies as an international tourist destination and hospitality centre.”

Popular Bulawayo-based dance group IYASA wowed local and international athletes and their families and friends at the just-ended 2024 Econet Victoria Falls Marathon.
The award-winning dance group exhibited boundless energy, artistry and passion as they entertained visitors on arrival at Victoria Falls International Airport, during the marathon and after the event.
This year’s marathon, which took place on Sunday July 7, attracted over 5 200 participants from across the world, including runners from as far afield as the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Colombia, Germany and India, demonstrating its growing international appeal.
A spokesperson for IYASA said the dance group was delighted to take part in a national event that had now taken on international significance.
“Performing at the Econet Vic Falls Marathon, welcoming and meeting so many people from around the world and getting to interact and entertain them, was a most amazing experience,” said Mercy Kayumba, a member and spokesperson of the dance group.
“This Marathon is such a big event that the hype is impossible to ignore. So just being a part of it was incredibly exciting for the IYASA group,” she said.
“This time around, we did activations leading to the marathon and had our team at various water points during the actual marathon. It was an opportunity for our team, especially the younger ones, to grow their art and be more versatile,” Kayumba said, explaining their involvement with Econet well before the marathon.
The group’s dancers performed at various water points along the marathon race routes, transmitting some much-needed energy and motivation to the runners, and displaying the typical cultural richness that one only experiences in Africa.
The IYASA spokesperson said the Econet Vic Falls Marathon offered them a unique platform to showcase the group’s versatility, after spending nearly seven days interacting with the company staff and marathon participants in the resort town.
“Participating in something different like the Econet Victoria Falls Marathon really pushed our group to grow as artistes, because they were not just performing on stage, but literary everywhere,” she added.
IYASA, which stands for ‘Inkululeko Yabatsha School of Arts’, is a Bulawayo-based arts institution.
The group, which has toured several countries around the world – including France, Spain and Australia, among others – has won multiple local and international awards since it was founded over 20 years ago.
Reflecting on the magnitude of the Econet Victoria Falls Marathon event, Kayumba lauded Econet’s efforts in hosting the marathon.
“Sometimes we underestimate how big this marathon is. Credit to Econet for holding such a successful event annually. It never gets watered down, but actually gets bigger and bigger each year. We truly enjoyed every part of it,” Kayumba said.

LOCAL and national artistes captivated a full-house live audience at the Buddie Beatz Victory Show as the curtain came down on the 2024 Econet Vic Falls Marathon at Baobab Primary School in the resort town on Sunday evening.
While the performance of the national stars lived to its billing, it was the appearance of the local artistes that was met with familiar enthusiasm and acclaim, marking a significant moment for the local music scene.
Sharing the stage and standing shoulder to shoulder the with national superstars such as Winky D, Jah Prayzah, Feli Nandi, Nutty O, Tocky Vibes, King Her and DJ Chiweda, Victoria Falls-based artistes Ray “Muffia King” Karipache, DJ CJ (Tawanda Cephas Junior Matema) and Daniel “Danman Croc” Ngwenya acquitted themselves well as they gave powerful performances in front of an estimate 5 000-strong audience.
“It was an awesome concert. It felt good being back in my hometown and performing alongside my colleagues who are also in the music industry,” said DJ CJ, soon after the music extravaganza, which has now become a tradition the evening of the Econet Vic Falls Marathon.
He lauded Econet Wireless, through the Buddie Beatz Victory Show, for “gifting” local artistes the exposure by affording them the opportunity to perform on a big stage to a huge crowd.
“I saw my fellow artistes, born and breed in this city, performing in front of a huge crowd. The night surely brought exposure and unity amongst artistes around the nation as we were gifted the space we have always craved for our growth on the music scene,” DJ CJ said.
Daniel “Danman Croc” Ngwenya was equally elated by the event’s success and the audience’s response.
“It was a great event for me, and the way people gave me feedback was just amazing. I feel everyone enjoyed my performance because of the reactions I noted from the crowd. It was certainly a great night for all the local artists because their performances were amazing and the reception by the crowd was just wonderful,” he said.
Danman Croc noted that Buddie Beatz Victory Show was the biggest event of his career, saying: “This is the biggest event I have performed in my career, and it means a lot for my growth as an artiste.”
Ray “Muffia King” Karipache highlighted the event’s great organization, along with the amazing support from the audience.
“The stage was well set, the treatment we got was super as we managed to perform without any glitches. I really enjoyed the way I performed in front of all those people, and the support was just something else,” he said.
“As artistes in Victoria Falls, we have so much talent that is looking for recognition and an opportunity. Getting opportunities like the Buddie Beatz Victory Show means we are exposed to Zimbabwe and the rest of the world,” he said.

LONG-Distance runner Blessing Waison is hoping to defend his Econet Victoria Falls Marathon title when he takes part in the 2024 edition of the annual event on Saturday.
Waison improved his time by three minutes from his 2022 performance to win the 2023 race in 2 hours 15 minutes 11 seconds.
Waison beat second-placed Elijah Mabhunu by more than two minutes (2:17:21) while Lyno Muchena was third in 2 hours 17 minutes 30 seconds.
Prosper Mutwira finished fourth in 2 hours 17 minutes 41 seconds while another veteran Mike Fokoroni dropped from fifth last year to eighth, in 2 hours 22 minutes 32 seconds.
Ethel Pangiso was the women’s winner in 2 hours 41 minutes 51 seconds. Waison says his target is to win the race again on Saturday.
“My training has not been at 100 percent because I have been nursing an injury so I can’t promise fireworks but the aim going into Saturday is to defend the title. It’s always a pleasure to participate in this elite competition and I will give it my all to once again be on the podium,” he said.
The 2024 Marathon, running under the theme: “Road to Victory”, offers a variety of distances to cater for any runners.
Econet has advised participants to choose from the famed, full 42km marathon, the half-marathon (21km), a collaborative team relay with two runners doing 10.5km each, or the more popular 7,5km Family Fun run.
Now in its 16th year, the Econet Victoria Falls Marathon has cemented its reputation as a top African running event.
The race’s renowned scenic route takes runners on an unforgettable journey through the breathtaking landscapes and wildlife surrounding the iconic Victoria Falls, allowing participants to enjoy its grandeur up-close.

NOW in its 16th year, the Econet Victoria Falls Marathon — which will take place in the scenic resort city on 7 July has emerged as more than just a premier sporting event.
With its growing economic significance, the international marathon — held every winter amid the majestic backdrop of the iconic Victoria Falls — has grown to become a catalyst for economic growth, as it draws local and global participation and attention.
Analysts and business leaders alike have described the marathon as a key driver of economic activity, attracting an influx of both local and international participants, spectators and tourists.
The event has bolstered the profile of Victoria Falls as a global tourist destination and also contributed significantly to the local economy.
“The Econet Victoria Falls Marathon is growing to be a significant contributor to Zimbabwe’s national vision of creating a multi-billion-dollar tourism economy,” said international business expert Macdonald Ndovi.
He said the event, popularly referenced as Africa’s Number 1 Marathon, is a strategic investment in Zimbabwe’s future, propelling economic growth and solidifying Victoria Falls as a world-class tourist destination.
The marathon, which is this year expected to attract more than 5 500 runners from around the world, is expected to increase spending on accommodation, food, transportation, and other goods and services in Victoria Falls.
The influx of tourists provides a much-needed boost to the local hospitality industry, with hotels, lodges, and guest houses experiencing high occupancy rates during the event.
“The Victoria Falls Marathon has become an important event in Zimbabwe’s sporting calendar, attracting both elite athletes and recreational runners looking to experience a memorable race in a breathtaking setting,” said tourism expert and researcher Charles Mavhunga.
“The event serves as a platform for promoting the tourism industry in Zimbabwe and a major driver of tourism and economic activity in the region.”
As the marathon enters its 16th year and continues to grow, it is expected to offer even more opportunities for local businesses to showcase their products and services to a broader audience.
An increase in demand for services in the resort city during the marathon generates direct revenue and helps promote business activities in the city and surrounding areas.
“The positive publicity generated by the Victoria Falls Marathon helps raise the profile of Victoria Falls, leading to increased interest in the region from potential visitors who may not have been aware of the tourist attractions offered by Victoria Falls, thus contributing to the long-term growth of tourism revenue for Zimbabwe’s economy,” Mavhunga added.
Local entrepreneurs and small businesses are among the biggest beneficiaries of the marathon. From vendors selling crafts and food to service providers offering guided tours and transport, the event provides a platform for local enterprises to thrive.
“The Econet Victoria Falls Marathon is a golden opportunity for local businesses,” said Nyasha Mandizvidza, a market analyst.
“It enables small-scale entrepreneurs to tap into a larger market, driving sales and expanding their customer base. This event is a lifeline for many, promoting economic inclusivity and community growth,” she said.

LISTED mobile network operator Econet Wireless Zimbabwe is intensifying network expansion and upgrade initiatives in a bid to enhance connectivity and profitability, as well as ward off competition.
During the year to February 29, 2024, the group was on a robust network modernisation and strategic investment drive, which has been the cornerstone of its strategy to enhance service quality and expand coverage.
Econet chairperson Dr James Myers said the group will continue to invest in network infrastructure to meet customer demands and keep abreast with global trends, in line with the vision of a digitally connected future that leaves no Zimbabwean behind.
“Our strategic partnerships with key equipment vendors have enabled us to accelerate our network modernisation after several years of underinvestment due to limited foreign currency availability,” he said in a performance update for the year under review.
Econet has modernised over 1 012 sites with 4G high-capacity base stations, with a significant concentration of these upgrades in Harare, Bulawayo and the Manicaland region. The telecoms giant is also looking at an additional 550 base stations to be installed across the country, aimed at further improving service coverage and quality.
This comes as the Government, through the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz), has now provided spectrum within the 700MHz frequency band, which will extend the coverage of existing base stations to serve customers who are on the periphery of the current coverage limit. As a result, the group added more than 50 new base station sites, contributing to increased network capacity and reliability.
“This investment has enhanced our quality of service and increased network coverage, ensuring that our customers enjoy superior connectivity,” explained Dr Myers.
The group has also integrated artificial intelligence (AI) into its operations, which, according to Dr Myers, has played a pivotal role in boosting operational efficiency and enhancing customer experiences.
The company has deployed AI algorithms to improve customer segmentation and offer personalised services, resulting in increased customer activity. The group has integrated AI-driven recommendation engines and predictive models into daily operations to drive usage and revenue.
This reflects the company’s commitment to leveraging on technology for business growth and customer satisfaction.
“This has enabled us to deliver a remarkable 47 percent growth in usage in the voice segment,” he said.
To address challenges emanating from erratic power supplies, Econet has invested in renewable energy solutions to maintain service continuity. The deployment of green power solutions has been crucial in ensuring high uptime for the majority of base stations.
The network upgrade and expanded coverage comes at a time the anticipated entry of Starlink into Zimbabwe is expected to put more pressure on the existing telecoms operators, creating scope for them to innovate and stay ahead of competition.
In terms of financial performance, the group’s revenue more than doubled, or rose by 133 percent to $14,8 trillion on the back of a 34 percent increase in voice volume and a 36 percent rise in data volume. These were also supported by the company’s network modernisation efforts and cost optimisation strategies that yielded a margin of profitability above 45 percent.
However, the depreciation of the local currency impacted the group’s financial results, with exchange losses amounting to $3,2 trillion, equivalent to 22 percent of revenue.
The group’s loss for the period widened to $1,1 trillion from $317 billion in the prior year.
However, retirement of foreign currency-denominated debentures in October 2023 significantly reduced the group’s exposure to exchange rate fluctuations, positively impacting profitability.
Econet is upbeat this will help boost its profitability for the current financial year and going forward.
The group is also hoping the introduction of the Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) currency will bring the much-needed economic stability and facilitate better financial planning and reporting. Additionally, the company will also leverage on its 5G network service.
“We are looking to scale up our 5G penetration to unlock new opportunities, leverage on artificial intelligence and process automation to improve operational efficiencies and customer service delivery,” said Dr Myers.

THOUSANDS of music lovers and athletes turned up for the Victoria Falls Econet Marathon musical after-party concert held at Baobab Primary School grounds on Sunday evening.
Dubbed the “Buddie Beatz Victory Show”, the after-party took place on Sunday evening and lasted until after 3am when Winky D, the final act, left the stage.
Admission was free. The mood was set at midday as Zumba dance coaches led runners and fans in various dance moves. When Winky D announced he was playing his last song around 3am, there were no incidents of revolt from the seemingly satisfied crowd, who began to leave after an almost all-night dance.
Sunday was unusually cold, with morning temperatures dropping to 11 degrees Celsius. Although the day was warm, temperatures dropped again after midnight, but the music lovers were undeterred as they packed the school grounds.

The lack of entertainment in Victoria Falls was evident as locals turned up in large numbers to join the runners who had taken part in the 42,2km; 21,1km and fun run races earlier. The event had 5 190 registered athletes.
The line-up included locals Ray “Maffia King” Karipache, Tawanda Cephas Junior Matema (DJ CJ) and Daniel “Danman Croc” Ngwenya. The show started just after 6pm with DJs playing music. Nutty O, Feli Nandi and Tocky Vibes then took to the stage followed by Jah Prayzah just before midnight. He played a mix of his old and new songs.

Commenting on the event, one reveller identified as Mercy said she enjoyed every bit.
“It’s a rare moment to have Jah Prayzah and Winky D sharing the stage. We enjoyed and wish such events could happen again.”
After the show, hundreds of locals could be seen trekking home, with taxi operators running several trips to the high-density suburbs and various hotels.
Organisers of the marathon, Econet Zimbabwe thanked people for supporting the event and vowed to continue rolling out various corporate social responsibility initiatives across different sectors.

The report, which was released last week, showed that Econet did better than its peers in the key performance categories of mobile internet and data usage, as well as in mobile voice usage.
The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz)’s sector performance report for the 3rd quarter of 2023 has revealed that Econet Wireless Zimbabwe extended its market leadership in the local mobile telecommunications sector dominated by three main players: Econet, NetOne and Telecel.
The report, which was released last week, showed that Econet did better than its peers in the key performance categories of mobile internet and data usage, as well as in mobile voice usage.
It revealed that Econet increased its mobile internet and data market share by 6.3%, from 72.0% in Q2 to 78.3% in Q3. This followed a 15.5% surge in the company’s mobile internet and data traffic to 34 985 422 241 Megabytes (MB) in the third quarter, up from 30 299 361 678 MB in the previous quarter.
“NetOne recorded a decline in internet and data traffic by a margin of 18.9%. Despite the decline by NetOne, total Internet and Data traffic for mobile network operators increased significantly by 6.2%, owing to a 15.5% growth in traffic by Econet. Telecel also experienced a huge jump in Internet traffic,” read the report.
Potraz said overall mobile internet and data traffic increased by 6.2% to record 44,67 Petabytes in the third quarter, from 42,06 Petabytes recorded in the second quarter of 2023. (A Petabyte is about 1 million Megabytes).
In the mobile voice traffic category, Econet increased its market share by 4.3% in the 3rd quarter to 82.9%, while NetOne lost market share by the same margin, to exit the 3rd quarter at 16.9%. Telecel maintained its voice traffic market share at 0.2%.
Potraz noted that mobile voice traffic grew significantly, by 30.0%, to record 3.29 billion minutes in the 3rd quarter, up from 2.53 billion minutes recorded in the second quarter of 2023.
“The sector realised growth in mobile voice traffic in the third quarter of 2023. This may be attributed to an eroded voice tariff which fluctuated around USD 0.01 (One USD cent) for on-net calls throughout the quarter,” said Potraz.
“On-net bundles and promotions by operators also played a big role in the significant growth in traffic, which resulted in a 37.5% surge in net-on-net traffic, which is without doubt the major traffic growth driver in the quarter under review.”
The regulator added that the total number of active mobile telephone subscriptions grew by a margin of 6.0% to reach 14 794 579 as of 30 September 2023, up from 13 955 937 recorded in the second quarter.
“As a result, the mobile penetration rate hiked to 97.5% from 91.9% recorded in the second quarter of the year,” said Potraz.
In the period under review, Econet saw its subscribers rise to 10 319 991, from 10 094 328 in the second quarter (a 2.6% drop in customer market share), while NetOne subscriber numbers went up from 3 554 075 in the previous quarter to 4 171 224 in the 3rd quarter (a 2.7% increase).
Telecel was, however, the only mobile network operator to register negative growth in subscribers, with the company’s subscriber numbers falling by 1.4% to 303 364 in the third quarter.
Meanwhile, mobile network operators generated $850.8 billion in the third quarter of 2023, up from $435.7 billion recorded in the previous quarter. This translates to a 95.3% revenue growth in the quarter under review.
On the other hand, mobile network operators incurred $430 billion in costs, up from $215.8 billion incurred in the previous quarter, translating to a 99.3% increase in total operating costs.
The telecommunications regulator noted that total capital expenditure by mobile network operators grew by 27.1%, from $26.7 billion in Q2 to $33.9 billion in the 3rd quarter.
“However, in real terms, revenues, operating costs and capital expenditure did not increase by the same margins due to the inflationary operating environment which has not spared any sector of the economy. This continues to stifle investment in infrastructure as evidenced by a decline in new terrestrial deployments in the quarter under review,” added the regulator.

Econet Wireless Zimbabwe, the country’s largest telecommunications and technology company, says it would be expanding its 5G network and utilising artificial intelligence (AI) and automation to enhance customer service and operational efficiency, Business Times can report.
James Myers, the chairman of the Econet board, disclosed this, stating that expanding on the 5G network creates new prospects for the business.
“We are looking to scale up our 5G penetration to unlock new opportunities, leverage artificial intelligence and process automation to improve operational efficiencies and customer service delivery,” Myers said.
He said AI has become an integral part of their business operations.
According to Myers, Econet increased its usage of AI in 2023 to boost productivity, improve operational efficiency, optimise their business and deliver better customer experiences.
He said the company pledges to continue investing in the infrastructure for them to meet their customer needs and keep up with global trends.
“The business continues to experience sustained growth in the demand for its products and services shaped by evolving customer needs. We will continue to invest in our network infrastructure in order to meet customer demands and keep abreast with global trends in line with our vision of a digitally connected future that leaves no Zimbabwean behind,” Myers said.
In its financial results for the 12 months to February 29, 2024, Econet more than doubled its revenue to ZW$14.8 trillion from ZW$6.3 trillion achieved in the previous year.
Investment in network modernization resulted in volume growth of voice and data of 34% and 36% respectively.
However, Econet’s loss widened to ZW$1.1 trillion for the period under review from ZW$317bn reported in 2023.
Myers said the depreciation of the local currency during 2023 affected the group’s financial performance.
Exchange losses for the period under review were ZW$ 3.2 trillion translating to 22% of revenue against 23% for the prior year.
He said the group is looking forward to benefiting from Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) since the hyperinflation of ZW$ affected the financial statements.
Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortisation (EBITDA) grew by 175% to ZW$7.1 trillion for the period under review from ZW$2.6bn recorded prior comparative period.

Econet Wireless Zimbabwe says it remains committed to completing current network modernisation initiatives, which will transform network performance, expand coverage, and increase capacity to support changing customer demands for data-intensive applications.
In a trading update for the quarter to November 30, 2023, the company said it will leverage new technologies to enhance the potential for better financial performance through improved customer experience and lower costs.
“The company’s strategic focus on fostering solutions centred around the customer, prioritising security, engaging with regulatory bodies, and investing in infrastructure sets it in a strong position amid the challenges present in the current economic landscape,” reads the statement.
The company said after the successful settlement of debentures in September 2023, the exchange loss exposure was significantly reduced, and this should improve the business performance going forward.
The company successfully closed the renounceable rights offer of new ordinary shares in the capital of the company to raise US$30,3 million, and proceeds from the rights offer were applied to redeem debentures issued by the company, which matured at the end of April 2023.
“Ordinary shares amounting to 401 586 371 were issued and commenced trading on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange on October 9, 2023,” the company said.
For the quarter under review, revenue increased by 177 percent from $0,8 trillion relative to the same period last year.
The company said growth in voice and data traffic of 28 percent and 26 percent, respectively, was largely anchored on network modernisation.
However, for the period under review, exchange losses were 20 percent of revenue against a prior period comparative of 26 percent, and they continue to weigh down the financial performance of the business.
According to a report by POTRAZ, the growth in market share for both voice and data services points to the company’s success in delivering value to its customers.
It said the increased consumption and usage patterns show that ongoing investment in network infrastructure is imperative.
“Econet voice market share increased slightly, and data market share decreased marginally. Other key metrics, such as base station and 4G base station market share, continue to improve,” reads the statement.
Econet added that the continued increase in data traffic reflects changing consumer behaviour and evolving usage patterns towards data-intensive applications such as video streaming, social media engagement, and online gaming, which require commensurate capital expenditure to continue to provide quality service.
“This will require a supportive tariff regime given the inflation trends. In order to sustain the quality of services amidst higher usage rates, there’s a need for tariffs that support the business, especially as inflation impacts capital spending,” the group company said.
It indicated that implementing cutting-edge network technology, optimizing spectrum utilisation, and increasing network density is necessary to manage growing data traffic and maintain a resilient network.