WITH less than two weeks to go before the African Cup of Nations burst into life, the Warriors Fundraising Committee will get down to business of mobilising funds for the senior national football team by hosting a fundraising dinner at a local hotel in Harare on Wednesday.
President Mnangagwa is expected to be the guest of honour.
The dinner this time around will be held without the intended beneficiaries, the players. In a similar dinner held in January 2017 ahead of the departure to the AFCON finals, the players boycotted the event heavily embarrassing Mnangagwa who was acting President at the time.
A sad atmosphere engulfed the Rainbow Towers Hotel in January 2017 when the 23 National Football Team players were refusing to leave their rooms and attend their send-off dinner in which then acting president Mnangagwa was expected to be the guest of honour.
Organised by the Ministry of Sports and Recreation, the event was attended by who is who in the soccer fraternity and the journalists at the Harare International Conference Centre.
The guests waited patiently for 3 hours until 9 pm when the then Principal Director from the Sports Ministry, Benson Dube, arrived and officially announced that the dinner had been cancelled.
“I am here to announce that the send-off dinner for the national team has been cancelled because of the labour dispute between ZIFA and the national team players. We have not cancelled the dinner but the send-off dinner,” said Dube.
He added, “We are sorry about that and we sincerely apologise. But we are saying let us enjoy ourselves, the dinner is on, but the send-off dinner is cancelled. We are going to have our dinner as planned, so we can start serving food.”
Critics have viewed the current move to hold the reception without the players as a move to evade a possible similar embarrassment of Mnangagwa.
The current fundraising committee’s Communications Sub Committee Chairperson, Eve Gadzikwa, in a statement, called on different stakeholders to support the national team.
“As the Fundraising Committee, we are inviting all stakeholders to come on board and support the Warriors. I must also assure the nation at large that all resources realized from this campaign will be applied towards their rightful purpose and fully accounted for. We are mindful of the need to be transparent and accountable in our dealings to earn the trust of stakeholders.
“We are targeting to raise US$500 000 which will go towards the upkeep of the Warriors and other ancillary requirements. It is our firm conviction that if we support our team, they will be motivated to perform hence it is our clarion call to everyone to support us materially and financially,” said Gadzikwa.
Gadzikwa also indicated that the Fundraising Launch and Dinner would signify the roll out of the public relations campaign to rally the nation behind the Warriors as they take to the field at the 2019 AFCON finals.
The Committee is chaired by acting Minister of Youth, Sport and Culture, Kazembe Kazembe.
Zifa board member Philemon Machana and businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei are the vice-chairmen.
Other members of the committee are Transport and Infrastructure Development Minister Joel Biggie Matiza, Minister of Industry and Commerce Nqobizitha Ndlovu, Emmerson Mnangwagwa (Junior), Zimpapers chief executive Pikirayi Deketeke, Sugar Chagonda, Lazarus Muchenje, Devine Ndlukula, Chipo Mtasa and Sports Commission officials.
The Warriors arrive in Cairo, Egypt, today for the 2019 Total Africa Cup of Nations finals that kick off on June 21 where they will open their campaign against the hosts.
The Warriors delegation left for Cairo from Asaba, Nigeria, where they played to a goalless draw against the Super Eagles in an international friendly at the Stephen Keshi Stadium on Saturday night.
“The team leaves for Cairo on Sunday (yesterday) and will have thorough preparations there for the Afcon finals. We don’t have any confirmed friendly match as yet,” said Zifa communications manager Xolisani Gwesela.
Zimbabwe are making their fourth appearance at the continental finals, having debuted in Tunisia in 2004 followed by another appearance in 2006 and in 2017 in Gabon.
They are in Group A with Egypt, Uganda and the DR Congo.
After their opener against the Pharaohs, the Warriors take on Uganda on June 26 before wrapping up their group games on June 30 against the DRC.
Warriors Afcon squad
Goalkeepers: George Chigova, Edmore Sibanda, Elvis Chipezeze
Defenders: Tendayi Darikwa, Jimmy Dzingai, Divine Lunga, Teenage Hadebe, Alec Mudimu, Ronald Pfumbidzai
Midfielders: Marshall Munetsi, Marvelous Nakamba, Danny Phiri, Ovidy Karuru, Kuda Mahachi, Talent Chawapihwa, Khama Billiat, Knowledge Musona, Tafadzwa Kutinyu, Thabani Kamusoko
Strikers: Nyasha Mushekwi, Tino Kadewere, Evans Rusike, Knox Mutizwa