Chamu Chiwanza eyes Zifa board

BUSINESSMAN Chamu Chiwanza is weighing the pros and cons of throwing his hat into the ring before the close of the Zifa board’s nomination process on Tuesday.

The 38-year-old Chiwanza, who is head of Zifa’s marketing committee, insists that although he has “mad love for football” the decision on whether or not to stand on December 1 is proving difficult to make.

“Before the football I am a businessman and each decision I make has implications not only me but my business partners, family and even workers,” he said yesterday.

Chiwanza, a close friend of Zifa president Phillip Chiyangwa, claims that there are “football godfathers” who are pushing him to contest for a board seat.

“And these people are not small boys, they are respected members of our game. These are people that even PC (Chiyangwa) bows down to,” he added.

“They have been calling me, urging me to think seriously about getting into the Zifa board and handling the marketing portfolio. The fact that they believe I can do this job is humbling on its own but being humbled and deciding to take the plunge are two different things. Football admin demands a lot.

“However, I am thinking seriously about what they have said and expect to make a decision soon … after all the nomination process closes on Tuesday.”

If Chiwanza comes aboard, Chiyangwa’s clique of Zifa vice-president Omega Sibanda and finance chief Philemon Machana will be strengthened.

“Recently I was at the Best Football Awards in London where I met some of the world’s leading football figures and highlighted that we are open for business like President Mnagangwa says and that we are serious about football in Zimbabwe,” Chiwanza said.

“But in as much as I tried to use all my award-winning marketing skills these guys, such as Marcelo, Zidane and others, were quick to point out that they know very little about us.

“What that told me is that there is some massive work that needs to be done in terms of putting our game on the world stage. We need to produce players who will play in the top leagues in Europe and market us as a country.

“We also need to have football players visit our resorts such as Victoria Falls while still at the peak of their careers and not as legends who come to play exhibition matches.”