HARARE – The National Sports Stadium was closed to football fans as Zimbabwe drew 2-2 with Algeria on Monday – but not for President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s son, Emmerson Junior.
Emmerson Junior, Mnangagwa’s first son with current wife Auxillia, was a VIP guest at the stadium along with his associates cheering on the Warriors.
The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) not only barred fans due to Covid-19 concerns – it also limited the number of local journalists allowed in the stadium to just 15.
A sports journalist who watched the match on TV said he was aghast after seeing Mnangagwa’s son inside the stadium.
“He’s not a football stakeholder but there he was, watching the game inside the stadium. It’s one rule for the Mnangagwas and another for all other Zimbabweans,” the journalist said, asking not to be named fearing victimisation by ZIFA.
ZIFA spokesman Xolisani Gwesela defended the presence of Mnangagwa’s son, who is a business associate of the millionaire tycoon Kudakwashe Tagwirei.
“We are allowed, as an association, to have up to 200 guests at CAF matches. We invited various football stakeholders including our board members and councillors, but even then our guest list did not go over 70, including the President’s son,” Gwesela said.
He said they also had Algerian guests, including embassy officials.
“We made sure all major media houses were represented in the small quota allowed,” Gwesela insisted.
Prince Dube scored nine minutes before the final whistle as Zimbabwe rescued a point against Algeria to draw 2-2. Algeria had led 2-0 before Knowledge Musona’s angled second-half free-kick flew into the top corner to get Zimbabwe’s recovery underway.
