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Tadious Manyepo-Sports Reporter
HERENTALS owner and striker Innocent Benza could make history by becoming the first professional footballer to hold political office if he bags the Mutasa Central parliamentary seat in the harmonised elections set for today.
In fact, it is going to be a big day for a number of current and former football and sports administrators who include the outgoing deputy minister for Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation Tino Machakaire (Wedza South), Dynamos treasurer Musa Beadle Gwasira (Mount Pleasant), Premier Soccer League chairman and president of CAPS United Farai Jere (Murehwa West), former ZIFA Women’s football boss Mavis Gumbo (Harare East), ex-Zimbabwe Cricket chairman Ozias Bvute (Goromonzi North) and former fitness trainer Temba Mliswa (Norton).
But this election could be more monumental for Benza. At 51, he is currently the oldest footballer in the PSL, having made his debut at the age of 46 years in 2018.
And, he is eyeing to clip yet another piece of history with a win in today’s polls. He is contesting on a ZANU PF ticket.
“We have done remarkable work over the months and we are looking forward to winning the Mutasa Central parliamentary seat,” he said last week.
“I am very happy with how everything has panned out so far. We have put in place so many projects and the people here are very happy.
“I think we are geared up and victory is certain”.
Benza, who is the owner of topflight side Herentals and Herentals Queens, the defending champions of the Zimbabwe Women Soccer League, has established a football team in rural Mutasa with the players drawn from the villages.
The team, which competes in Division 2, has been to different parts of the country where players have been drilled by top experts on the modern playing philosophies.
Benza said he was not planning to hang up his boots if he wins in this plebiscite.
“I am not ready to quit football. That’s my passion and I will be playing the game for as long my legs can carry me,” Benza said.
“I am happy to be the oldest player in the Premier Soccer League. It’s something that I don’t take for granted. I am also happy with the way every football stakeholder treats me. Zimbabweans are a loving lot and they keep me going”.
Benza is not the only sports personality vying for political office in today’s poll.
Deputy Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation Machakaire is seeking a second term as the Wedza South legislator.
The firebrand Government official, who is also the ZANU PF secretary for Youth Affairs, first bagged the Wedza South seat in 2018 with a landslide victory.
And he will be hoping to retain the post with yet another win today.
The charismatic figure is loved so much in that part of the country due to his championing several sporting activities.
Since 2018, he has invested over US$500 000 in sport tournaments, with participants winning various prizes including motorcycles and vehicles. Just recently, he sponsored the mega-dollar football and netball ED Cup tournament in honour of President Mnangagwa’s several developmental projects across Wedza.
Over 2 000 participants took part with teams who were eliminated at the first hurdle getting at least US$2 000.
The final which was supposed to take place on August 13 at Sadza Growth Point was rescheduled due to other pressing issues on the part of Machakaire, who was expected to be the Guest of Honour on the day.
Nevertheless, the high-stakes matches will be staged on September 9 at the same venue with Machakaire confident he would have retained his position.
“I don’t only sponsor sports tournaments. I do cater for each and every person from my constituency,” said Machakaire recently.
“We have put in place several developmental projects in Wedza from horticulture to apiculture”.
Machakaire has also carved a niche for hosting arguably the biggest entertainment gala on every Christmas Day in his village.
Since 2018, musicians from all genres have gathered for the festival known as the Wedza South Arts gala.
They include arguably the best musician in the country Alick Macheso, Jah Prayzah, Killer T, Freeman, Baba Harare, Lipsy and Mark Ngwazi to mention a few.
CAPS United president Jere has also entered the political fray and he is confident of winning the Murehwa West parliamentary post.
Jere made headlines after adopting children from all 31 schools in this constituency who he is paying tuition fees for. He has also empowered that community including setting up a rural football academy at Rusike School.
“What’s important for me is to see everyone smiling with the empowerment they would have been given,” said Jere recently.
“I am very confident we will win resoundingly. We are so excited to be part of this poll and we are optimistic of success”.
But other sports personalities who wanted to contest in today’s polls will not be able to do that after they lost in the primary elections held a few months back.
Some of them include another former ZIFA president Phillip Chiyangwa and his then deputy Omega Sibanda, ex-CAPS United chief executive Charlie Jones who wanted to be a councillor in Arcadia and previous ZIFA vice-president Gift Banda, among others.
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