Zimbabwe Empowerment Group Splits Over Appointment of Former ZIFA Chief
Critics accused Affirmative Action Group founding president Philip Chiyangwa of putting personal allies into key positions
The entire AAG executive, led by businessman and media figure Supa Mandiwanzira, resigned over the appointment by Phillip Chiyangwa, AAG founding president Zimbabwe’s largest black empowerment organization, the Affirmative Action Group, has split over the appointment of sacked Zimbabwe Football Association boss Henrietta Rushwaya as international empowerment and corporate affairs vice president. The entire AAG executive, led by businessman and media figure Supa Mandiwanzira, resigned over the appointment by Phillip Chiyangwa, AAG founding president. AAG sources said the executive also disowned gender affairs vice president appointee Jennifer Mhlanga, a prominent businesswoman. Rushwaya was removed as chief executive officer of the Zimbabwe Football Association last year over the so-called Asia-gate scandal in which managers and players of the Warriors national soccer team were found to have fixed matches in an Asian tour. She was found to have organized the tour without approval by the ZIFA board. They said the appointments are seen as a move by Chiyangwa to rid the organization of executive members he allegedly used as fronts to seal a lucrative deal with the Zimbabwe Diamond Technology Center for cutting and polishing diamonds. They accused Chiyangwa of seeking to put personal allies into key positions in light of moves by the government to shift control of companies to indigenous persons. Chiyangwa, Mandiwanzira and his AAG associates all refused to comment. Former AAG president Matson Hlalo said the black empowerment group is now serving the interests of a few executives. "Members should try to settle this dispute which is being taken over by some people with vested interests," Hlalo said.