Online Reporter
Fungai Muderere Zimpapers Sports Hub
ZIFA President Nqobile Magwizi says the new technical director, Dominique Niyozima, has the task of reviving grassroots football in the country.
Niyozima is from Burundi and was appointed in August to take over from Jethro Hunidzarira.
“We now have our new head of technical at Zifa. He joined us recently and his task will revatilise all our grassroots programmes. He will need to make sure Zimbabwe goes back to the world football map,” said Magwizi.
Years of mismanagement and neglect had left Zifa’s technical structures in disrepair. Coaching courses were suspended by Caf after reports surfaced that badges were being handed out with no merit. The system stalled, and progress ground to a halt.
Now, with Niyonzima stepping in as Head of Technical following Hunidzarira’s underwhelming tenure, there’s renewed hope. The 62-year-old Burundian, a former Fifa regional consultant and ex-Caf deputy technical director, is set to begin a one-year term, pending finalisation of his work permit.
It’s not his first time shaping Zimbabwean football.
Eleven years ago, Niyonzima led the first Caf A Licence course in the country. He returns to find a system that’s barely functional, but coaches who’ve worked with him before believe he’s the right man to fix it.
