By Anesu Chakanetsa

ZIMBABWEAN and Southern Africa football has not been rosy, especially compared to West Africa.
A football administrator who is not impressed and is livid about how football matters have been run on the continent is none other than the flamboyant Zimbabwe Football Association’s (ZIFA) boss, Philip Chiyangwa.
The man does not like the current Confederation of African Football (CAF) leader, Issa Hayatou, who has, during his long reign, only ensured that West Africa, from which he hails, gets the ultimate benefit of hosting the AFCON tourney.
The next three editions will be hosted by West African countries, Cameroon in 2019 (second time hosting) , Ivory Coast in 2021 (also for the second time) and Guinea in 2023.
In 2025, 2027, 2029 and 2031, AFCON might be hosted in Nigeria, Algeria, Cameroon (again), Morocco and Egypt respectively, if Hayatou remains in power.
Southern Africa has only hosted the tournament thrice since its inception in 1957.
Zimbabwe’s rights to host the tournament for the first time were taken away in 2000 and given to Ghana and Nigeria.
Thus Chiyangwa’s noise and venom, which has Hayatou quaking in his boots, is most welcome.
The flamboyant ZIFA boss is currently on an offensive, seeking to dislodge Hayatou from power and do away with West and North African imperialism in football.
This dominance and unfairness by West and North Africa is bound to fester if Hayatou wins upcoming elections on March 16 in Ethiopia.
Chiyangwa has made it his mission to topple Hayatou.
In a meeting held early February, Chiyangwa, who is also leader of the Council of southern African Football Association (COSAFA) and other Southern African football associations’ bosses in COSAFA member-countries, have nominated Ahmad Ahmad of Madagascar as Hayatou’s top contender.
And Chiyangwa will tonight host African football administrators from the continent while FIFA boss Gianni Infantino is expected to attend the function which has been dubbed a belated birthday party.
A panicking Hayatou, through his secretary Hicham El Amrani, tried to stop the function but failed.
This is definitely no ordinary birthday party; it will be a time to strategise.
The businessman-cum-football administrator was very clear when he was asked by Supersport’s ‘Football Africa’ panelists of his thoughts on Hayatou.
“Its time for him to go because he has done nothing for African football,” said Chiyangwa.
While, most might argue that Chiyangwa should first build Zimbabwean football, removing Hayatou might be exactly what local football requires.
There are many benefits from FIFA and CAF that the nation has been denied because focus has been on West and North Africa.
An occasion such as the hosting of the AFCON tourney brings massive development to the host nation.
While it is said ‘charity begins at home’, in football, charity has to be fought for, and begins abroad.
The battle by Chiyangwa is definitely to make Zimbabwe and COSAFA football better.
What the businessman is fighting for is balance of power that will see football developing in all the regions.
It has become clear that Southern Africa will only improve its football the year it gets the top post at CAF, as it seems that is the only way it will get to host important tournaments.
In southern Africa, South Africa and Angola are the only countries with notable stadiums because they once hosted the AFCON.
Angola hosted it in 2010 while South Africa hosted it by default both in 1996 and 2013.
It was supposed to be hosted in Nigeria in 1996 but was moved to South Africa due to disturbances in the Niger Delta state.
South Africa went on to scoop the honours.
In the past five or six years, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon have hosted the tournament twice respectively; first as a co-hosting platform in 2012 and individually in 2015 and 2017.
Their stadiums are now top class and their cities up to standard, just because they embraced Hayatou as their leader.
If a nation wins the bid to host a major tournament, Government is pushed to invest in improving infrastructure, and FIFA extends 40 percent of the total budget to spruce up infrastructure.
It is no secret that Hayatou is totally against the desires of East, Central and southern Africa to host the tournament, especially in the case of Zimbabwe.
Together with his CAF administration, Hayatou disbanded Zimbabwe’s bid to host the AFCON in 2000 just because Zimbabwe had not cast a vote for him during the 1999 CAF elections.
Hayatou was present when Zimbabwe’s Dynamos legend, Memory Mucherahwohwa was head-butted during a warm-up of CAF Champions League final against Asec Mimosah of Ivory Coast in 1998.
The Ivorians got away with it and won 4-2 thanks to their fellow neighbour Hayatou who did not lift a finger to censure the Ivoirians.
Fast forward to Decenber 2016, it was in the eyes of Hayatou when Zimbabwe clearly equalised Cameroon in their Women’s AFCON match, but the ‘jealous’ far side assistant referee raised her flag for an offside that was not an offside at all.
Nothing was done.
In 2013, Orlando Pirates players and media personnel were pelted by missiles and ill-treated by Democratic Republic of the Congo fans, administrators and media personnel who wanted their team, T.P Mazembe to win.
They lost by two goals to Mazembe — the team was never censured for its nasty and unbecoming behaviour.
All this ugliness against Zimbabwe and southern African teams has taken place in Hayatou’s presence.
Despite the fact Africa hosted the World Cup in 2010, there were only six African countries out of 32 while Europe had 12 countries.
When Germany hosted it in 2006, there were a dozen European countries at the tournament.
In fact, when the 32 country format was introduced, Europe has dominated the World Cup attendance.
And Issa Hayatou has never voiced against such football imperialism.
Hayatou’s crimes against footballing nations of the south are just too many and it might just take Chiyangwa and Ahmad to see that justice is served.