Letshwiti snubs Harare invitation
Mqondisi Dube | Wednesday February 22, 2017 16:15
FIFA president, Gianni Infantino will be the guest speaker, where several other Football Association (FA) presidents have been invited.
According to BFA public relations officer, Tumo Mpatane, Letshwiti had prior engagements which clash with the Harare trip.
“He will not be attending due to personal business commitments. He had prior arrangements,” Mpatane said. Asked if Letshwiti’s non-attendance was a snub on Chiyangwa and the COSAFA resolution to back Madagascan candidate, Ahmad, Tumo said BFA supports the bloc’s stance. Ahmad is challenging long serving CAF president, Issa Hayatou in next month’s elections in Ethiopia.
“We are very much for the COSAFA cause. The president has met the COSAFA leadership while on a trip to Gabon and we are very much in book and in line with COSAFA resolutions. It is just that the function coincides with the president’s other commitments,” Mpatane said.
He added that Letshwiti will today travel to Johannesburg to attend a FIFA congress where Infantino will be present.
Letshwiti might have been disuaded from attending the Harare function after CAF expressed misgivings, accusing Chiyangwa of using the meeting to plot regime change. CAF wrote to Chiyangwa warning him against proceeding with the meeting.
Chiyangwa is Ahmad’s campaign manager and the Harare meeting was seen in Cairo, CAF’s headquarters, as a ploy to sell the Madagascan to FA presidents expected at the function.
Chiyangwa has maintained that the gathering is meant to celebrate his birthday and election to the COSAFA presidency.
He would however, be disappointed to learn that Letshwiti, whom he described as a “strong supporter”, will not be attending.
“He is a strong supporter. He is the man who made me COSAFA president, he doesn’t mince his words,” Chiyangwa told Mmegi Sport yesterday when asked if Letshwiti was attending.
Quizzed on the numbers attending his celebration, Chiyangwa said “many” as they are still applying for Visas (to travel to Zimbabwe.)