Chronicle Editor
Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
REAL estate executive Craig Change is the new Bulawayo Metropolitan Rugby Football Board (BMRFB) chairman after being elected unopposed during a meeting held at Hartsfield ground on Saturday.
Change, who has previously served as BMRFB treasurer and secretary, takes over from Delvin Ismail and will be in office up to November 2023.
Thembelani Ncube retained the vice-chairman’s post, with George Hlatshwayo coming in as secretary.
BMRFB spokesperson Simba Dangah said other board members, who include the treasurer, will be elected after the first board meeting.
“The BMRFB delegates to the Zimbabwe Rugby Union (ZRU) are chairman Craig Change and vice-chairman Thembelani Ncube. Other executive members for the executive committee will be elected at the first board meeting, whose date will be announced soon.
“Note that these are elected board members and are not the executive committee on their own. The executive committee has treasurer, referees’ representative, chairperson of the Under-20, chairpersons of the ground committee, entertainment committee and disciplinary committee,” said Dangah.
“They are coming in on a four-year term that was supposed to start in November 2019, but the AGM was postponed to yesterday (Saturday) to fulfill some constitutional requirements before the AGM.”
Clubs registered with BMRFB are Old Miltonians, Matabeleland Warriors, Highlanders and Bulldogs, as well as officials from affiliates that include women’s rugby, Nash, Naph, referees and tag-rugby.
With Change coming unopposed, hopes are high that he will unite the largely divided province.
Having been at the forefront fighting for accountability and transparency, Change, who some view as “level headed and neutral”, has to ensure that rugby is played from grassroots throughout the year. — @ZililoR
Online Reporter