PHILLIMON MHLANGA
Two top officials at the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee (ZOC) are stepping down from their influential positions within the next few months, BT Sport has learnt.
ZOC president Admire Masenda will be leaving the organisation in April next year after spending 14 years at the helm of the local olympic movement.
Chief executive officer (CEO), Anna Mguni, another long standing and important official at ZOC who was appointed CEO in 2011, becoming the first female to hold such a challenging post in the history of the local Olympic organisation, will also be stepping down from her role at the end of this year.
Prior to becoming CEO, Mguni served ZOC in various capacities since 2004.
The outgoing president, Masenda, told BT Sport that although the new Constitution allows him to continue as president of ZOC, he will pave the way for a new leader in April next year.
The departure of the two influential ZOC officials comes at a sensitive time when most sports have been shut down due to the deadly coronavirus pandemic, which has caused devastating results across the globe.
The sudden disappearance of sports has a cost to it.
And the carnage has erased millions of dollars in potential revenue.
A huge blow.
Masenda told BT Sport that the new constitution allows him to continue as ZOC president, he was stepping aside, allowing somebody to take the reins from him after serving the organisation for more than two decades.
“That’s the right thing to do. We have a new Constitution which took effect in 2018 which has a two term limit.
As we speak, I have served three and a half terms.
“But, I am still eligible to continue as president of ZOC for the next two terms in terms of the new Constitution.
So, I am allowed to continue,” Masenda said on Tuesday.
“However, ZOC will have a new president in April next year because I have decided to step aside after spending 14 years as its leader.
In my mind, we need to be progressive. It’s a legacy issue and am setting the tone that even if I am allowed by the Constitution to continue in my position as president of ZOC, I am stepping aside and allow a new trajectory.
And it’s only fair for the organisation to have a new leader, who will give the organisation a new trajectory. This is the new way we are trying to encourage as leaders,” Masenda added.
Masenda also confirmed CEO Mguni is leaving the Olympic movement. “She wants to try other things and opportunities beyond ZOC. I don’t have any idea of where she wants to go. Since March, we have been aware of this (that she will not be in a position to renew her contract at the end of this year),” Masenda told BTW Sport.
“Now, we have to look for a new CEO and we should be able to have that person in place by November, just to give that person time to work with Anna (Mguni) for a hand over, take over process.”
Mguni could not be reached for comment by the time of going to print.
