Zimbabwe bids to host 2017 Afcon

Zimbabwe is set to lodge  a bid to host the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) after the withdrawal of Libya, a senior government official has revealed.

Libya had won the bid to host Afcon in 2017, but pulled out of staging the competition citing the deteriorating security situation in the oil rich North African State, with the Confederation of African Football (Caf) later issuing a statement inviting new bids for the 2017 event.

The deadline for the official submission of bids is September 30.

Tourism and Hospitality minister Walter Mzembi told Parliament on Wednesday that as a way to build momentum on the country's long-term goal of bidding to host the 2034 Fifa World Cup, his ministry is considering championing the country's bid  to host the 2017 edition of Afcon.

"For your information Honorable members, this project (World Cup 2034 bid) is already inspiring infrastructure projects. It has already attracted international interest to the extent that just last week I dispatched my chief executive officer to Botswana and he came back with a model that we have agreed on as a region, not to just host World Cup 2034 but to look immediately at the hosting of Afcon 2017, after the withdrawal of Libya," said the minister, who was immediately made the target of verbal attacks by other members of the August House who felt he was being too ambitious.

In recent weeks, questions have been raised over the country's ability to host mega events with big occasions last month exposing Zimbabwe's incapacity to provide enough accommodation for international visitors.

In August, Zimbabwe hosted the 34th Ordinary meeting of the Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in Victoria Falls, as well as two religious conferences by the Jehovah's Witnesses and the United Methodist Church in the capital with international delegates to all three events experiencing challenges in finding accommodation.

"Gaps have been exposed by mega events in the country, not just in Harare but even in the Victoria Falls during the occasion of the SADC Heads of State Summit. We ran short of accommodation. Our rooms stock in the country is just around 15 000 rooms," confessed the minister.

Nevertheless, Zimbabwe once hosted the All Africa Games, but that is almost two decades ago, while in 2009 the country also hosted the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (Cosafa) Cup.

The country has also received online support in recent weeks with a number of people backing Zimbabwe to host the 2017 Afcon finals in an online survey by satellite broadcaster SuperSport.

If Zimbabwe formally submits a bid to stage the continental football showpiece in 2017, the bid is  likely to face stiff competition from West African nation Ghana, whose Minister of Youth and Sports Mahama Ayariga last week announced the country would be throwing their name into the hat.

"I am happy to announce to you that the President, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama has given us the permission to bid for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations," said Ayariga.

"We have his blessings and we are going to bid for the competition, because we have what it takes to win. We have the infrastructure in place, a good air travel system and a hospitable environment to host the rest of the continent."

Other countries that have been tipped as potential Afcon 2017 hosts include South Africa and reigning African champions Nigeria.