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Chiyangwa, Mliswa to face off in Zifa Presidency race?

by Staff reporter
27 Oct 2015 at 18:19hrs | Views
ZANU-PF politician and businessman, Philip Chiyangwa, and former chairman for the ruling party in Mashonaland West, Temba Mliswa, look set to go head to head in Zifa Presidency elections after Mliswa also entered the race to occupy the hot seat at number 53 Livingstone Avenue.

The ZIFA elections will be conducted on the 5th of December.

Chiyangwa and Mliswa looks like do not see eye to eye after Chiyangwa said Mliswa is no saint having brutalized the white former owners of the farm he now occupies in addition to 'raping and killing' MDC supporters.

Chiyangwa is confident of romping to victory in the election and declared yesterday that he already won the backing of at least half of the councillors.

Chiyangwa was responding to Mliswa's charge that he, along with President Robert Mugabe and local government minister Ignatius Chombo, must face justice at Netherlands-based International Criminal Court (ICC) which is commonly known as The Hague.

Interestingly, IndependentSport quoted Mliswa saying boxing is his number one love, although many remember him as a gifted rugby coach and aggressive sports administrator.

"My first love is boxing, then cricket," Mliswa told IndependentSport. "I used to spar with Kid Power and I'm one of the people who floored him at a health studio in Harare."

Mliswa earned his rugby coaching credentials in England after former British Lion and England Grand Slam coach Roger Uttley invited him.

Uttley used his influence to secure Mliswa coaching stints with Harrow, Eton and London Wasps Under-18s, before the Zimbabwean was attached to Middlesex Division III club Feltham and English South West Division II side Marlow.

At 22 Mliswa had already become a popular rugby coach in the United Kingdom and the United States.

Mliswa claims he is the one who discovered rugby sensation Tonderai Chavhanga. Mliswa also claims to have helped Max Madziwa, Victor Olonga, Kenny Tsimba, Mordecai Mwerenga to move to England.

Mliswa formed a pressure group in Zimbabwe called Pioneers of Black Cricket, which aimed to increase black participation in the national cricket team.

Mliswa is former chairman of Mashonaland West Cricket Association which is not officially recognised.

Other names that have already been thrown around for the soccer governing body's top post include Premier Soccer League chairman Twine Phiri, Trevor David Juul, who lost to Dube in the last election, Dube's vice-president Omega Sibanda and veteran journalist Charles Mabika.

The elections to fill the vacant hot seat have been scheduled for December 5.



Temba Mliswa profile.
Temba Peter Mliswa was born in Zambia on 1 September 1971 and is the second born in a family of six, comprising three girls and boys. He eventually relocated to Zimbabwe with his family where he did his primary school and proceeded to Lord Malvern School and the famed St Faith's Mission School in Manicaland Province for his secondary education. Mliswa grew up in Harare in the Waterfalls suburb living with his parents. He was married to Gracious Mabodza and the two have two daughters Alexandra and Farai.

Early Sporting Career
Mliswa was employed in 1988 by the Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU) as a development officer, Mliswa also worked for the Zimbabwe Rugby Union (ZRU) for a short time before leaving for the United Kingdom. During his stint with these organisations, Mliswa realised that cricket and rugby were largely dominated by whites and the indigenous population had very little chances of accessing them. Mliswa coached rugby at the prestigious Eaton School that was attended by Prince William and Harry. Mliswa advanced his studies in sport fitness in the United States before he returned to Zimbabwe. Armed with his qualifications, he entered the sporting, business and political terrains. Initially Mliswa confined himself to the sports domain where he set up Chimurenga Rugby to afford black Zimbabweans an opportunity to showcase their talent.

He was appointed fitness coach for the soccer national team and his training methods faced stiff resistance from the players and the public. Mliswa won the hearts of many soccer lovers and Zimbabwe National Soccer Team continued with his training regime culminating in the Warriors winning the Cosafa Cup. This was the first tournament won by the Warriors in over 15 years, of course, apart from the Cecafa - won in 1985. Mliswa also acted as fitness coach for Caps United Football Club and they won the BP Cup during his tenure. Prior to going to the US, Mliswa had talked his way into an invitation to England, where he set up his coaching credentials. He subsequently received a free three-month rugby education in New Zealand, and then accepted an invitation to go to the United States for further education.


Source - Byo24News