BY SPORTSCAST WRITER
HARARE – Harare Province Rugby Board chairman Kudzai Zisengwe has resigned just six months into his term amid a fallout over the Zimbabwe Rugby Union (ZRU) elections as well as governance issues.
Zisengwe, who was elected in January to replace Joe Kawodza, handed in his resignation this week instead of facing a no-confidence vote, SportsCast has established.
Sources say the new HPRB boss had in fact survived ouster three months into his tenure after the province’s key affiliates reportedly demanded to gain access to contents of the HPRB’s sponsorship deal with Paramount Garments.
The clothes manufacturing company sponsors Harare’s senior and Under-20 leagues.
The breaking point for Zisengwe was however the national board elections in May, which resulted in Losson Mtongwiza rising to become ZRU president after defeating his erstwhile boss Aaron Jani by one vote in a tight race.
It has emerged that Zisengwe, who as the Harare chairman had a vote on the 17-member electoral college, was mandated by his province to campaign and vote for former Zimbabwe international Gerald Sibanda, whose spirited campaign hinged on the pledge for new leadership and a fresh start for Zimbabwean rugby.
The capital’s for biggest clubs – Harare Sports Club, Old Hararians, Old Georgians and Pitbulls – were pushing hard for a Sibanda win.
Zisengwe however threw in his lot with the incumbent Jani, who eventually managed six votes against his ex-deputy Mtongwiza’s victorious seven.
Sibanda, favourite of the country’s biggest rugby-playing province, had three measly votes.
But it was the defeat of Jani which is said to have complicated matters for Zisengwe, leading to him resigning this week after it became clear that his working relationship with the province’s big guns had broken down.
