By A Correspondent- Zanu PF government has turned down a request by Zimbabwe Football Association, ZIFA, for the football icon George Shaya to be granted national hero status.

Shaya died aged 77 in his Harare home following a long illness.
He will be buried at Warren Hills cemetery on Saturday.

Dynamos had written to Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) seeking facilitation of conferment of national hero status on the late former football star who dominated the soccer star of the year calendar in 1969, 1972, 1975, 1976 and 1977.

However, Sports minister Kirsty Coventry told the Shaya family that the football icon would get a state-assisted funeral on Wednesday.

“He is one of the greatest sportspersons to have emerged from this country,” said the minister.
“Government has, therefore, accorded him a state-assisted funeral.”

Coventry said, “The history of the game will be amiss without the mention of his name”.