Farai Jere
PREMIER Soccer League chairman Farai Jere has pledged to voice football concerns in the august House for the good of the game after winning the Murehwa West Parliamentary seat in the harmonised elections held on Wednesday.
Jere, who is also the CAPS United majority shareholder, is a passionate football personality who rose from being a mere supporter to own one of the most storied teams in the history of the local game.
And, he believes he can carry the interest of football, a loved but neglected game in the country, to where it matters after the landslide win he garnered on his first attempt to represent his area of origin in parliament.
Jere surprised all and sundry after declaring his interest to stand for political office as he entered his name in the hat during the ZANU PF primary elections which he won four months ago.
He went on to launch a massive campaign, installing boreholes in the community while adopting all students at the 31 primary schools in Murehwa West.
He didn’t sideline football in his campaign trail either as he sponsored several tournaments from primary to social level pouring in thousands in United States dollars.
And the community embraced him.
Overwhelmed by emotions, Jere was short of words as he celebrated the historical feat in Murehwa.
But he made it clear that football was closer to his heart and his election into the August house has opened the avenue for him to advance the game’s concerns.
“I would like to thank the entire Murehwa West for investing their faith in me,” said Jere. “I am overwhelmed and can’t thank them enough. I would like to reiterate that all the projects we set up are going to continue and each and every pledge we made is going to be fulfilled.
“I am not going to let down the Murehwa West electorate. We will make sure that development comes at their doorstep.
“Of course, we can’t neglect football. We hope that this victory will also be good for football. We will push the football narrative in the August House”.
Jere is not the only sports personality who emerged victorious in the recent plebiscite.
Boxing fanatic and former Deputy Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation Tino Machakaire also retained his parliamentary seat for Wedza South.
The youthful Machakaire posted a landslide win in a constituency that he has helped put to the map over the past five years.
With massive sports tournaments across all age groups and telling development in the area, Machakaire was always the favourite to bag the seat for the consecutive term.
“I am grateful to the people of Wedza. This is yet another nod from them and we can continue to move together as a people, developing the area as much as we can,” said Machakaire.
“As always, sports development is a key issue that we should also be advocating for in parliament”.
Herentals owner and striker Innocent Benza contested the Mutasa Central Constituency and was by last night projected to win although official results were yet to be announced at the time of going to print.
Another football personality Musa Beadle Gwasira, who was aiming for the Mt Pleasant seat was unsuccessful.
Gwasira is the executive treasurer for Dynamos.
