BY MUNYARADZI MADZOKERE
NEW Ngezi Platinum Stars chief executive officer Yvonne Mapika Manwa is excited by the new challenge of steering the ship for one of the biggest clubs in local football.
The Mhondoro-Ngezi based club has continued to show faith in women administrators by replacing Nyasha Kadenge, who impressively presided over the team’s administration for close to six years with Mapika Manwa last week.
Mapika Manwa takes over the reins at a club, which has won the Chibuku Cup and represented the country in the Caf Confederations Cup in its short life in the top flight league.
Ngezi Platinum Stars has been challenging for the league title more often than not since they joined the big league in 2016 and the team currently sits in sixth place with 24 points, seven behind leaders Chicken Inn after 15 matches.
The new CEO arrives with a big dream for the club.
“I am really honoured that Ngezi Platinum Stars Football Club has taken me on as their CEO and I am excited that I get to join a team with such a big vision. It’s definitely a challenging position but I feel I am up to the challenge,” Mapika Manwa said in an exclusive interview with The Sports Hub.
“The Club has a big vision, and it is an exciting one and I wanted to be a part of it. I would like to be a part of a team that creates something bigger than the individual and am looking forward to helping it unfold.
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“I certainly would like us to win championships back to back. Beyond championships though, I would want us to be a benchmark for the football industry in Zimbabwe. I would like Ngezi Platinum Stars to play a part in shaping the football fraternity in the country, to show that Zimbabwe can produce a team, players and even administrators that can compete on the world stage and consistently do so.
“Part of my vision is to ensure that anyone who has any professional football ambitions can find us as a home to achieve those ambitions.”
Largely unknown in football circles Mapika Manwa boasts of a wealth of administrative experience having served in various capacities which include general manager, finance administration manager and operations manager in various manufacturing and services industries.
Unbeknown to many, football also runs in her blood.
“I am an ambitious person, who is always up to a challenge. In terms of football I could say I have a bit of football in my blood as my father played club football in the 80’s and my uncle made it to the national team a few times, so I have been exposed to football from early childhood,” she revealed.
Ngezi Platinum parted ways with Kadenge last month and announced Mapika Manwa’s appointment last week.
The club, which is coached by former Warriors captain Benjani Mwaruwari’s next assignment is a home date with Manica Diamonds next weekend.
