Grand welcome for Chiyangwa Philip Chiyangwa
Philip Chiyangwa

Philip Chiyangwa

Sports Reporter
THE Zimbabwe National Soccer Supporters Association have organised a grand welcome party for ZIFA president Philip Chiyangwa at Harare International Airport this evening when he returns from his week-long visits to Egypt and Bahrain where he attended the FIFA Congress. ZNSSA president Eddie “Mboma’’ Nyatanga said Chiyangwa will be given a hero’s welcome when he lands home at around 5pm this evening after he was appointed as the vice chairman of the powerful CAF AFCON committee which has the power to award nations the rights to host the Nations Cup finals.

Chiyangwa, who is also the COSAFA boss, will be the second most powerful member of that committee which will be headed by Nigerian Football Federation boss Amaju Pinnick.

“We have organised some buses for our members to leave the city centre at around 4pm and go to the airport to give Chiyangwa the welcome that he deserves because he is going places and, at a time when our country needs all these positive stories, he is doing a very good job,’’ said Nyatanga.

“When one of your own is given such an honour by his colleagues I think it is important that you make him understand that you also appreciate what is happening and it’s good that we now have a Zimbabwean in such a powerful committee.

“In the past we have largely been ignored, when it comes to the CAF committees, and we have advised the cheerleaders like Chris Romario, who is a key member of our association, and Alvin Zhakata to ensure that they get their colleagues and we give Chiyangwa a welcome that deserves his lofty status.’’

ZNSSA executive committee member, Fortune “Giant” Bgwoni, who was in South Africa when Chiyangwa was elected COSAFA boss and was also in Ethiopia when the ZIFA president plotted the downfall of former CAF leader Issa Hayatou, said the Harare businessman deserves to be honoured.

“As fans, I think we should appreciate that this is a new era in our football and Dr Chiyangwa is playing a very big role in taking us where we want to be and that is why we have to gather at the airport and show him we are proud of what he did during his tour of duty,’’ said Bgwoni.

Sport and Recreation Minister Makhosini Hlongwane on Wednesday hailed Chiyangwa for his recent appointment.

“The Ministry of Sport and Recreation is delighted to join the nation in congratulating Dr Philip Chiyangwa on his recent appointment as vice president for the Africa Cup of Nations Committee,’’ Hlongwane said in a statement.

“This new soccer administration assignment conferred to Dr Chiyangwa unequivocally illustrates Zimbabwe’s sport administration gravitas which continues to impact regional, continental and international spheres of influence. To this effect, the sky is the limit for Dr Philip Chiyangwa and other sport administrators in Zimbabwe.

“Dr Philip Chiyangwa must be assured that he has the support of Zimbabwe’s sport constituency which is an embodiment of the Ministry of Sport and Recreation’s Sport Diplomacy Programme.

“In as much as this recent credential appendage to his sport administration memoir in the making is a personal accolade, it is as good an accolade for the Football fraternity in Zimbabwe.

“This particular achievement by Dr Chiyangwa also complements successes by other Zimbabwean sport administrators who have assumed influential administration portfolios assignments within regional, continental and global sport management bodies.’’

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