Online Reporter
Innocent Kurira
Zimpapers Sports Hub
TAVENGWA MUKUHLANI is not just making moves in Zimbabwean cricket anymore; he is now steering the whole continent.
The Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) chairperson has been elected as the new chairperson of the Africa Cricket Association (ACA), marking what he called “the beginning of a new era” for the sport on the continent.
His election was confirmed during ACA’s 27th annual general meeting held in Singapore on Friday.
Mukuhlani, who had been serving as interim chairperson since November 2023, was unanimously endorsed by an executive board featuring respected administrators from across Africa: Rihaan Richards (South Africa), Uyi Akpata (Nigeria), Stephen Musaale (Rwanda), Michael Nuwagaba (Uganda), Franklyn Conteh (Sierra Leone) and Polly Negongo (Namibia). Their backing sends a clear message: African cricket is rallying behind a unified vision.
“We stand today at the threshold of a new era for African cricket, an era defined by stronger governance, broader opportunity and renewed ambition,” Mukuhlani said in his acceptance speech.
“Let us continue building on the progress we’ve made, united by a common purpose and driven by a shared love for the game.”
His rise to the ACA helm is the latest chapter in a career defined by strategic leadership. Starting at the Mashonaland Cricket Association, Mukuhlani burst onto the national scene in 2015, when he took over as ZC chairperson.
Since then, he has guided the game through a turbulent stretch that included an International Cricket Council (ICC) suspension and serious financial challenges.
Under his stewardship, ZC has stabilised, grassroots development has grown and the country’s standing in world cricket has improved.
But Mukuhlani’s influence now goes well beyond Zimbabwe.
He sits on the ICC Board of Directors, serves on the influential Finance and Commercial Affairs Committee, chairs the ICC’s Cricket Kenya Committee and played a central role in the sport’s re-entry into the Olympic Games for Los Angeles 2028.
As interim ACA chairperson, he already pushed through key reforms, including the adoption of a new memorandum of incorporation that aligns the ACA’s governance model with global best practices.
The document promotes transparency, inclusivity and long-term sustainability.
“These engagements are crucial not only for visibility, but also for opening new doors, investment, policy support and greater continental collaboration,” he said, referencing efforts to include cricket in the 2027 African Games in Egypt.
Looking ahead, Mukuhlani has laid out a vision built on three pillars: youth development, women’s cricket and innovative funding models to support national associations and expand ACA competitions.
“Together, let’s continue to grow the game, empower our players and position Africa as a rising force in the global cricketing family,” he said.
With a reform-driven board behind him and momentum on his side, Mukuhlani is poised to transform African cricket into not just a participant, but a player, on the global stage.
Online Reporter