Story by Anashe Murombedzi
THE Zimbabwe Rugby Union has elected Loson Mtongwiza as its new president at the 129th Annual General Meeting held in Harare this Saturday.
The elections marked a new era in the union’s leadership as Mtongwiza succeeded Aaron Jani, who came second in the elections, losing by a single vote.
The elevated Mtongwiza outlined his vision for the union, emphasising the need for governance reform, development and high-performance plans.
“We have a lot in store; first, we need to clean up our governance structures, we aim to train 1,000 new coaches nationwide, fostering grassroots development. We’re seeking new ZRU offices, as our current facilities are inadequate and we’re implementing a high-performance plan to prepare our players for national games, with year-round training and the establishment of Under-20 and 23 high-performance teams and academies,” he said.
Mtongwiza also announced plans to secure two franchise spots in South Africa, enabling regular matches with top-level teams.
“We hope to field four teams, two Under-20 women’s teams and two Under-23 men’s and women’s teams, competing at the highest level,” he added.
Mtongwiza will be deputised by Tapfuma Parirenyatwa and Thembalami Ncube.
