Business executive Paddy Zhanda Jr appointed to lead Zimbabwean rugby’s interim committee

vimbayi makwavarara
Sep 23
1 min read

BY SPORTSCAST WRITER

HARARE – Business executive Paddy Zhanda Jr will chair an Interim Management Committee (IMC) to govern Zimbabwean rugby for a renewable term of one year following removal of the association's substantive board.

The Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) on Tuesday morning announced the five-member committee, with Zhanda being deputised by Nedbank banking executive Latifa Kassim, who will be in charge of finance.

SRC board member Gwinyai Mharapara revealed that a new substantive ZRU executive will be in place before the World Cup in Australia in 2027, as participating nations are required to play in the tournament under elected leadership.

A new Rugby Africa-backed constitution, to be adopted by the Zimbabwe Rugby Union (ZRU) before the World Cup, will lead to the fresh elections.

The IMC chairman, 43-year-old Zhanda, played for a strong Watershed College side that competed favourably with some of the best rugby-playing school teams in the country at the turn of the millennium.

Former Zimbabwe national team coach Godwin “Jaws” Murambiwa will head the technical committee.

Lawyer Wellington Magaya gets a role on the committee to oversee legal affairs.

Youthful entrepreneur Gareth “Gazza” Crabbe, who represented Zimbabwe in triathlon and played rugby at St John’s College in Harare, sits on the committee to care of the commercial side of things.

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