The ManicaPost
Ray Bande, Senior Reporter
THE country’s football governing body Zifa today officially handed over donations worth $37 132 towards Cyclone Idai relief efforts underway in Chimanimani and Chipinge districts.
Zifa raised the amount from sales of tickets during the final Africa Cup of Nations qualifier Zimbabwe played against Congo Brazzaville in Harare last month.
From the sales the association levied a dollar from each ticket sold.
Zifa president, Felton Kamambo, presented the donation to Cabinet Ministers July Moyo, Perence Shiri, Kazembe Kazembe and Paul Mavhima in Mutare.
Home Affairs Deputy Minister Mike Madiro and Minister of State for Manicaland Ellen Gwaradzimba also witnessed the brief handover ceremony.
Kamambo said Zifa will continue levying a dollar from every ticket sold during their home matches until normalcy returns to Chimanimani and Chipinge.
“As the football fraternity, we were also deeply agitated by what transpired in Chimanimani. In order to show the fact that we are together with the nation in mourning the departed during the cyclone, we are presenting our donation of $37 132. The amount, as we are all aware, was raised from the sale of tickets from the final Africa Cup of Nations qualifier played in Harare.
“We will continue to work together with Government and all stakeholders to ensure that Chimanimani and Chipinge return to normalcy. We are going ahead in levying a dollar from every ticket during our home matches until normalcy returns to the affected areas,” said Kamambo.
Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister July Moyo urged football fans to attend national team home matches in multitudes as a way to help raise more funds for Cyclone Idai relief efforts.
“We really want to thank you for this donation. It will go a long way in helping relief efforts after the trail of destruction left by Cyclone Idai. Yes, Manicaland happens to have been hardest hit but we also have other provinces that were affected hence the amount you have donated will be placed in a national account meant for the Cyclone Idai relief efforts,” said Minister Moyo.
The Zifa president, who also took time to visit Sakubva Stadium as well as one of the Cyclone Idai hardest hit spots of Ngangu Township in Chimanimani, was accompanied by Premier Soccer League boss Farai Jere, National Association of Primary Heads (NAPH) head in charge of football Masimba Chihowa, Zifa Eastern Region secretary Simba Wisdom and Zifa Manicaland chairman Kuziwa Nyabeze.
