Two prominent sports administrators, Mr. Innocent Benza and Mr. Farai Jere, who own and manage Premiership football clubs, are set to contest in the upcoming Zanu-PF primaries. Mr. Benza owns and plays for Herentals FC, while Mr. Jere is the owner of Caps United and serves as the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League president. Both individuals are also successful businesspersons and are now eyeing National Assembly seats in the forthcoming harmonized elections.
Mr. Jere is contesting for the Murewa West constituency in Mashonaland East province, while Mr. Benza hopes to represent Mutasa Central constituency in Manicaland province. The primary elections are part of the ruling party’s roadmap towards the harmonized elections scheduled later this year.
It is not the first time that football administrators have ventured into politics. Former Zifa president Dr. Phillip Chiyangwa and his deputy, Cde Omega Sibanda, as well as interim Zifa president Mr. Gift Banda, successfully ran for office as legislators.
