Businessman eyes ZIFA post

Yes he can…Businessman Chamu Chiwanza

BUSINESSMAN Chamu Chiwanza, could be what the doctor ordered for in the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) set up as a board member.
Chiwanza will on December 16 contest with four other candidates for four ZIFA board slots. The four are incumbent board member finance Philemon Machana, public relations executive Sugar Chagonda, Stanley Chapeta and Brighton Malandule.
The elections were initially scheduled for December 1 but had to be moved to a later date. The postponement to December 16 was necessitated by the need to comply with the ZIFA constitution which requires that 15 days before the elective congress, names of all contestants of the ZIFA executive should be sent to all the ZIFA members
Chiwanaza a man of few words and more actions has led the bid to mobilise resources for the Warriors through the Mzansi ’90 Committee, when Rahman Gumbo’s men came within just a game of qualifying for the 2013 African Cup of Nations.
He has been part of the team behind that has contributed to the revolution that has been unfolding at ZIFA since 2016. It is against this background that he is tipped to garner more votes than the other competitors.
The former Affirmative Action Group president’s interactions with global football achievers and role model as well as his connections in the local and regional business community could play a role in developing and marketing the Zimbabwean game at executive committee level.
Chiwanza want to take brand Zimbabwe to another level.
He also want to use soccer as a unifier since it is the most popular sport in the country.
In South Africa, Nelson Mandela, a boxer in his youth, used the sport of rugby as the catalyst for the highly improbable unification of his country. In Canada is there anything that better nourishes and symbolizes national unity than the Grey Cup game? In the United States, for pulsating moments of national esteem, try matching the Miracle on Ice – the hockey triumph over the Soviets at the Lake Placid Olympics in 1980.
With the ZIFA elections season in full swing, there is no lack of divergent issues and ideologies. However, one thing continues to unify people across political affiliations, gender, race and ideologies – that is sports. In Zimbabwe in particular soccer – the beautiful game.