Zifa and Cosafa president Philip Chiyangwa is elated to see the back of former Caf president Issa Hayatou, whose 29-year reign came to an end yesterday after he lost an election to Ahmad Ahmad of Madagascar.
By Kevin Mapasure
Chiyangwa had been leading Ahmad’s campaign advocating for change in the Caf leadership and yesterday Ahmad romped to victory after attracting 34 votes from the 54 voting members.
Hayatou got 20.
Chiyangwa has been the biggest critic of Hayatou of late and had brushes with the Cameroonian in the run-up to the election where he was threatened with disciplinary action by Caf over comments he made against the 70-year -old.
Yesterday, the businessperson told NewsDaySport of his joy at seeing Hayatou’s back as well as the refreshing of continental football leadership.
“I am very elated and boosted, now Zimbabwe can really feel that they are part of Africa and the world. This man [Hayatou] and his cabal ensured that we could not be heard,” Chiyangwa said. “He got the lesson of his life after the Caf football family bought into the vision of change. I and like-minded colleagues from Cosafa launched this calculated move that we needed this man out and others took us for a joke. But here we are, history has been written.”
Chiyangwa is still considered a newcomer in football circles having been elected Zifa president in December of 2015, but he has managed to initiate change bringing to an end Hayatou’s long reign.
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The ouster of Hayatou was a well-calculated move where Ahmad’s camp had done their homework and managed to convince the majority of the Caf members.
As Chiyangwa celebrated both his birthday and ascendancy to the Cosafa leadership in Harare last month at a gathering that attracted some of the federation presidents from other African countries, he predicted that Ahmad would poll 35 votes.
He wasn’t too far off as Ahmad managed just one vote less. What will be of interest going forward is what position Chiyangwa will get in the continental leadership.
