HARARE, (CAJ News) – FORMER South African Player of the Year, Benjani Mwaruwari, has expressed interest to contest for the Presidency of the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA).

The 37-year-old former Jomo Cosmos and Bidvest Wits striker believes his vast experience playing the game at the highest level would put him in good stead to revive the fortunes of the sport in his country.

“I am available to assist in improving local soccer and I believe I can do that in various positions. I feel it is time that football people take over the running of the game because time and again, we let other people in but the only reward the game has got was plummeting standards,” said Mwaruwari.

He expressed readiness to use his contacts from around the world to make a difference in the local game.

“We want football to be the winner at the end of the day so I believe onus is on people who have roots in the game to challenge for these positions and run football in the interest of the players, coaches, administrators and, most of all, the fans,” he said.

Besides Mwaruwari, other individuals have expressed a desire to lead the association that has long been accused of maladministration at the expense of the growth of the game.

Other names that have been mentioned include politicians Phillip Chiyangwa and Themba Mliswa.

However, there has been concern at putting at the helm individuals that have no background in football.

Thus Mwaruwari, who starred in the South African Premiership side Cosmos before plying his trade at the highest level in Europe at Manchester City in England, is widely seen as the best candidate for the prime position in Zimbabwean football.

“We should not just let any individual just come in when we know he has little interest in the game,” said Mwaruwari.

Mwaruwari also had stints at Blackburn Rovers and Sunderland in England as well as Auxerre in France.
In 2001, he was voted South Africa’s Player of the Season and Players’ Player of the Year.

– CAJ News