SPORT and more importantly football, is fast becoming the gateway to the Zimbabwean Parliament.
Over the years, we have seen a growing number of sports leaders not gatecrashing but finding their way into Parliament.
The latest being Premier Soccer League supremo, Farai Jere , who was elected on a Zanu PF ticket as a member of parliament for Murewa West.
Jere was joined in the 2023 show by Herentals owner Innocent Benza who won the Mutasa Central Constituency as well as Eddie Chivero, a member of the Zimbabwe National Soccer Supporters Association who took the Chegutu West Constituency.
Also part of the show is former Zimbabwe Cricket CEO Ozius Bvute who was re-elected as a representative of Goromonzi.
Dynamos treasurer Beadle Musa Gwasira also tried, but without success to find his way into Parliament as a representative of Marlborough where he was a City of Harare Councillor.
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The list is endless and also includes former Zifa acting president Gift Banda who was also a member of Parliament for Lobengula and so was former Zifa vice President Omega Sibanda, who also had a chair in Parly.
Others who came from sport and became MPs include former PSL chairman Tapuwa Matangaidze as well as former Black Rhinos treasurer Christopher Chitindi.
So too did Raymond Kazembe Kazembe who was Dynamos secretary general and Ziyambi Ziyambi who was an executive member at Caps United.
Not forgetting Zimbabwe Cricket president Tavengwa Mukuhlani who at one time also sat among the lawmakers as did former Dynamos chairman Themba Mliswa.
Sadly, though, despite this influx, sport has not benefited much as the government continues to ignore the financial requirements of this industry.
Even former Zifa president Phillip Chiyangwa was a member of parliament when he came down to football but did not change the government’s line of thinking when it came to the other industry he was the driver. Even with this huge if not wide representation, never have there been any serious discussion in parliament, in as far as sport is concerned.
Most, if not all those who went into the house forgot what made them popular to get that ticket into parliament but want to come back when they lose their seats.
With the addition of Benza, Chivero, and Jere, we expect change and we want to see the cause of sport being seriously represented.
Fine, they also have their constituencies to take care off, but they should be reminded that they would not be where they are today had it not been for football.
What we want to see is all our national teams being funded by the government, not the situation we have at the moment.
If this is happening in other countries, why can’t it be done in Zimbabwe.
For your views, comments and suggestions mkariati@gmail.com