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Sports Reporter

THE African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region 5 have appointed Zimbabwean Stanley Mutoya as their new chief executive. Mutoya, who served as the organisation’s general manager since 2011, was elevated to the post of the organisation’s chief executive with effect from November 1, 2016.The AUSC Region 5 held their end of year Executive Committee meeting and quadrennial elections in Swakopmund, Namibia, on November 5.

During the elections, which were presided over by Robert Magagula, president of the Confederation of Southern African National Olympic Committees, Vetumbuavi Veii (Namibia) and George Jana (Malawi) were retained unopposed as chairman and vice-chairman respectively.

Lawrence Mthethwa (Swaziland) was elected unopposed to the position of chairperson Finance and Marketing which was held by Charles Nhemachena of Zimbabwe, who did not stand for re-election while Antonio Gomes (Angola) was elected chairman for the Sports Development Technical Commission after two rounds of voting could not separate him and Limpho Mokhochane of Lesotho.

The two were only separated by casting lots.

Six countries — Angola, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland — were eligible to vote as the other four — Botswana, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe — were ineligible as they were not in good standing with the Region at the time of the elections.

The new Secretariat is now duly charged with the discharging duty for the next four years. The next elections are due in 2020.

The same meeting endorsed the appointment of seasoned Zimbabwean sport administrator Mutoya as the new Region 5 CEO.

Mutoya, who served as the organisation’s General Manager since 2011, was elevated to the new position of CEO with effect from November 1, 2016.

With 16 years of experience in sports administration, Mutoya has been rising through the sports structures both at national and Regional level.

He was involved in sports administration and management within the then Ministry of Sport, Arts and Culture in Zimbabwe as a PE co-ordinator from 2000 to 2002.

Thereafter, he joined the Sport and Recreation Commission as a Provincial Sports Co-ordinator in Mashonaland Central Province from 2002 to 2004 before joining the Grain Marketing Board as a Sports and Recreation Officer from 2004 to 2006.

He then went on to the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee as the Manager for Operations and Business Development where he steadily rose to the positions of General Manager and ultimately CEO, a position he held up to 2011 when he moved to join the SCSA Zone VI in November 2011 as its General Manager.

Mutoya shrugged off the challenge from 43 applicants vying for the CEO’s job when it was advertised in September 2016. He came out tops after interviews that saw four other candidates putting their names forward for consideration.

His appointment was approved by the Region 5 Secretariat and subsequently ratified by the Executive Committee in Swakopmund, Namibia, on November 5, 2016.

A shrewd but dynamic sports administrator, Mutoya has carved a name in sports management and administration and earned Regional and Continental recognition due to his efficiency and knowledge of the sport industry.

“My task is by no means a mean feat at all. I am alive to the humongous demands and land mines that lie in our sporting terrain and with the support of my team in the office, members of the Secretariat and the Executive Committee, this Region can always improve and assume its leadership position in Africa,” said Mutoya.

“My immediate tasks involve recasting our strategic plan and properly orienting the Regional sports architecture. Once done, that should define strategies that the Region should pursue, key among them being the commercialisation of the Region’s products and services.”