Loveness Wadzanai Mukura, aspiring Zimbabwe Football Association vice president, has placed grassroots football development at the heart of her campaign, promising to transform ZIFA into a brand synonymous with integrity and progress.
In her address to the Zimbabwe Women Premier Soccer League councillors at a local hotel on Wednesday, Mukura shared a vision focused on junior football and grassroots initiatives. She emphasized the need to create academies and invest in development programs to build a strong foundation for the future.
“Junior football is the lifeblood of our sport’s future. Let’s safeguard and nurture it. To achieve this, we must empower our area zones, provinces, and regions to establish academies. These hubs will serve as breeding grounds for our junior and senior national teams,” she said.
Mukura, drew on her journey from player to executive to inspire confidence in her capabilities.
“This is home for me. Women’s football has been my journey, teaching me not only the game but also the ins and outs of administration,” she said.
While promising to prioritize grassroots football, Mukura also pledged to ensure accountability within ZIFA, leveraging her experience as CEO of Herentals Group of Colleges.
“Accountability is a core value I uphold. With my extensive experience as an accountant in a prominent institution, managing finances and ensuring transparency, you can trust that our organization’s resources will be handled with integrity,” Mukura assured the councillors.
Mukura urged women to unite and set aside differences for the betterment of the game.
“Let’s put personalities aside and work together towards a common goal: uplifting women’s football. It’s disheartening to see women being torn down while men applaud. Instead, let’s unite and celebrate each other’s successes,” she said.
Beyond women’s football, Mukura highlighted her ambition to elevate Zimbabwean football as a whole by fostering international partnerships and regional competitions.
“We must forge strategic partnerships with international partners to gain a global perspective. By sharing success stories and learning from their challenges, we can adopt best practices and innovate our approaches,” she said.