Belated Soccer Stars banquet on the cards

Joel Ngodzo

A belated banquet to honour the Soccer Stars of the Year for 2010 will be held at the Rainbow Towers on Thursday, January 27.

Organisers of the 47^th edition of the event, the Sports Writers Association of Zimbabwe,  said 200 people drawn from the sports and related sectors have been invited for this annual function on the national football calendar.

They attributed the delay in hosting the honours for the country’s top 11 footballers to a lack of corporate support. Traditionally, it is the mandate of the Premier Soccer League to put together the Awards ceremony, but owing to the fact that even the league itself is being run with nil sponsorship, the scribes have taken it upon themselves to take over.

“It is better to be late than never. What is of paramount importance is that as sports journalists, we have seen it proper to be involved by doing something for sport apart from just writing stories.

“We hope the other sections of society such as the corporate world will also come on board and extend a helping hand to fulfill our endeavour of seeing our best performers duly rewarded,” said Philemon Mhlanga, the SWAZ treasurer and chairman of the Marketing and Fundraising Committee.

The nominated Soccer Stars for 2010 are Edmore Sibanda, Nyasha Mushekwi, Charles Sibanda, Bhekithemba Ncube, Norman Maroto, Joel Ngodzo, Menard Mupera, Desmond Maringwa, Benjamin Marere and Fortune Ncube.

While the Golden Boot Award automatically goes to Maroto for having banged in the most number of goals during the season, it remains to be seen who will be the Soccer Star of the Year, his first and second runners-up.

The coach and referee of the Year will also be known on the night of the Awards ceremony.

By Gilbert Munetsi

SADC, AU agenda setters in Zim's reform saga

SADC and the African Union have – alongside other internal national establishments - been blamed for the failure of the Global Political Agreement and the Inclusive Government to function properly, as they have not been able to reign in the IG on breaches and non-performance of provisions of the GPA.

The sentiments were expressed by the Board Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, Andrew Makoni, at a press conference held in the capital on Thursday, January 20. It was convened to reveal ZLHR’s position on key political processes and imperatives.

“It (Inclusive Government) has failed to focus on core issues around reforms and democratization, overly concentrating on outstanding power-sharing issues, and even then it has not been effective.

“Countless resolutions and recommendations have been made and time-lines for action set at various meetings of both SADC Troika on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, and the SADC Heads of State and Government. However, the principals have failed to comply with and/or implement these resolutions and recommendations as well as their undertakings.

“By failing to take strong action to prevent or punish breaches, SADC has encouraged – whether actively or by its own inaction – impunity and continued non-compliance with its own deadlines and benchmarks. This calls into question SADC’s political will,” he said.

He said there was now need, as the best way forward, to finalise and implement a comprehensive and decisive roadmap to fresh, free and fair elections.

“The role and responsibility of SADC and the AU in ensuring a conducive environment for the elections in the shortest time possible cannot be underestimated. There must be political will manifested through clear time-lines, and repercussions for non-compliance,” he noted.

By Gilbert Munetsi

Spar steps in taking care of former stars

A supermarket chain has pledged to look into the welfare of former soccer players by giving them employment when their active playing days are over and the poorhouse is beckoning.

SPAR made the offer after meeting with the soccer legends representative, Charlie Jones, and went on to donate goodies worth thousands of dollars to kick-start the relationship which will prove handy to the former greats, most of whom are known to live in destitution long after having  hung their soccer boots.

The Food chain group went a mile further by providing a coffin and other assistance following the death of Kenneth “The Computer” Jere who passed on recently. He was a Dynamos striker blessed with dribbling wizardry, thereby earning himself the name of the technological gadget.

Addressing players at a recent function in Harare where more than 40 attended, Jones bemoaned the plight of the former players, and urged them to unite and form a vibrant union representative of their interests.

“It is not as if we made the game of football what is today. We are just a forgotten lot yelling in the abysmal pit in the wilderness, praying someone may hear us. We just do not enjoy the status we should, hence the need to join forces and speak with one voice,” said the former Arcadia and Caps United forward.

Among those who attended were George Shaya, Freddy Mukwesha, Jimmy Mbewe, Carlos Max, Sheperd Muradzikwa, Sunday and Misheck Chidzambwa, David Mandigora, Gift Makoni, Elvis Chiweshe, Stanford Mutizwa and Laban Kandi.

By Gilbert Munetsi

Travel Media plays host to FIFA Ambassador

Kalusha Bwalya

TRAVEL Media - a local travel and tour operations company - has seized on the opportunity of a visit to the country by FIFA ambassador, Kalusha Bwalya, by offering him an attractive mini-holiday package complete with executive full board accommodation and game view in the resort town of Nyanga.

Bwalya, Zambia’s all-time soccer great and current president of the Football Association of Zambia, will be in the country upon invitation by the Sports Writers Association of Zimbabwe. He is expected to officiate as the Guest of Honour at a belated banquet organized to present prizes to the top footballers for 2010 who ply their trade in the Premier Soccer League. He will be accompanied by his wife and a team of journalists from his home country.

The offer to host Bwalya was this week announced by Travel Media Chief Executive Officer, Alson Darikayi, who said his company was also muting the idea of engaging the Nyanga Tourism Association and the town’s local authority, with an aim to confer the freedom of either the Town or NTA to the soccer icon.

“He is a great son of the continent, and his coming here has a worthy cause attached to it – he has humbled himself and agreed to leave other busy and urgent schedules to cap the crème de la crème of our local football. That, in itself, speaks volumes about a brother with real African attributes, and our coming on board to support this is our own little way of reciprocating the good thing done by Brother Kalu,” Darikayi said.

The Zambian delegation will leave Harare for Nyanga in the morning of January 28, where the celebrity and his wife will be staying at the Troutbeck Resort while the rest of the contingent will be booked at Montclaire, Rhodes Nyanga and the Village Inn. They will then be taken on a three hour scenic tour of Mt Nyangani, Mtarazi Falls, Nyangombe Falls, Mare Dam, Trout Hatchery and World’s View. They return to Lusaka on the 29, where Bwalya will immediately connect to the FIFA Headquarters on business.

Sulu's first performance of 2011 on Saturday

Sulumani Chimbetu

DENDERA Music crooner Sulumani Chimbetu has decided to prematurely end his annual vacation and resume work with the first show for 2011 penciled in for Jazz 105 on Saturday, January 21. He will co-perform with the group Mafrik, according to posters put up around the City and adverts flighted in the press.

The new development contrasts with his early declaration that he would take a break and resume performances in February. And it appears it is the lure of the Dollar has compelled Sulu to re-consider his initial plans and take to the dance floor sooner than anticipated.

Or could it be the manager of his Members’ Club, one Negos Bonnie Jana, who is misleading the people, as he is the one churning out information to followers of the hit-maker?

While it has not been confirmed if he has other shows before the end of the month, he will perform for his first time ever at the Spillway Pub and Restaurant on February 5 in a show dubbed “The 2011 Kickstart Show.” The venue’s director, Kenneth Madangure, said of this particular musical fixture:

“It will be Sulu’s first ever performance here and it will be different from most of his shows in that he will have no supporting acts. People should expect fireworks.”

Riding on the success of his latest production, Non-Stop which features the hit song Dzamutsana, Chimbetu will during the course of February take his act down South, where he has been slotted to churn the Dendera sounds in Pretoria and Johannesburg. In the former City he will be at Soshanguve Hall while in the latter he has a date with his fans at the Safari Night Club.

By Gilbert Munetsi

NIZ to facilitate boy's T.B Joshua visit

NIZ Chairman Emeka

NIGERIANS In Zimbabwe have come to the rescue of a seven-year old boy by facilitating passage for him to travel to Lagos for a divine meeting with renowned world prophet T.B Joshua. The Association, made up of about 500 members of Nigerian origin resident in Zimbabwe, revealed this social responsibility gesture at a function held in Harare recently to commemorate their First anniversary.

At a tender age of three months, young Takunda Leeroy Katiyo was diagnosed with zerdema, a condition that has deformed his facial features. And because medical practitioners say there is nothing more they can do to help, his parents say his only hope lies in the visit to the Man of God in West Africa.

NIZ have pooled together financial resources which will see the issuance of visas for Leeroy and his mother, purchase of return air tickets for the two, their accommodation during the duration of their stay in Lagos, as well as internal transport from the moment they touch down at Lagos International Airport.

The assistance extended to the Katiyo family is valued at US$3 000. Arrangements have also been made with contacts in Nigeria for Leeroy to forgo the circuitious procedure associated with booking an appointment with the Mighty Man of God.

“We have been coming in handy in various other areas needing assistance. For instance, last year we donated bicycles to the Zimbabwe Republic Police and other goodies to the Zimbabwe Prison Services, the aged and other vulnerable members of society. But this time around, our help is centred on helping save a life in the form of the young lad,” reads a statement from NIZ.

If Katiyo’s mission goes through, he will be the second publicly-know Zimbabwean to successfully engage T.B Joshua after the Zimbabwe Football Association president, Cuthbert Dube, received healing attention for an alleged back ailment. Prominent musician Tongai Moyo – who has written to ask for assistance with cancer – is yet to get a response to his request.

By Gilbert Munetsi

Peter to Guest play for the Soccer Stars Team

Peter Ndlovu

Peter Ndlovu, who surprised the local football community by signing for unknown soccer entity Highfield United FC, will make a pre-season appearance at Rufaro Stadium on January 25, in a match planned to prepare the Warriors for CHAN.

“Nsukuzonke,” which when literally translated means “The Flying Elephant,” will feature as a guest player on the side of the Soccer Stars of the Year as they play the Warriors.

The match will give national team caretaker coach, Madinda Ndlovu, the opportunity to assess his final side before departure for Madagascar for the CHAN campaign. Plans earlier made by the Zimbabwe Football Association to engage Zambia in an international friendly hit a snag, compelling the technical department to look up to meaningful local competition.

(Peter) Ndlovu confirmed this development in a telephone interview, saying he will be featuring in the match as a way of helping raise money for the Soccer Stars of the Year Banquet penciled in for Harare on January 27. His new club, Highfield Utd has been communicated with, and have given a nod to the request.

But it is his appearance at Rufaro that is expected to see soccer followers flocking to the stadium to see for themselves the thunder left in the lethal left boot of the former national team captain who, at 100 matches, is the most capped Zimbabwe Warrior.

By Gilbert Munetsi