Stanley Mutoya
Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWEAN Stanely Mutoya has been appointed as the inaugural African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region 5 chief executive officer following constitutional changes that saw the abolishment of the secretary-general’s position.
The appointment is on a five-year performance based contract.
The AUSC Region 5 reviewed its constitution to align it with the African Union Statutes. The new constitution was approved by the Council of Ministers on June 24, 2016. The Council of Ministers is the highest decision-making body of the organisation.
Mutoya joined Region 5 (then SCSA Zone VI) in November 2011 and served as the general manager on a five-year contract after replacing Charles Dzimba who had retired.
A former chief executive officer of the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee (ZOC), Mutoya has developed into a seasoned sports administrator with 16 years experience in sports administration.
He was involved in sports administration and management within the then Ministry of Sport, Arts and Culture as a physical education coordinator from 2000 to 2002.
Thereafter, he joined the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) as a provincial sports coordinator in Mashonaland Central province from 2002 to 2004 before joining the Grain Marketing Board as a sports and recreation officer from 2004 to 2006.
Mutoya later joined ZOC as manager: operations and business development where he steadily rose to general manager and ultimately CEO, a position he held up to 2011 when he moved to join the SCSA Zone VI in November 2011 as general manager.
Mutoya shrugged off challenges from 43 other applicants for the AUSC Region 5 top job.
His appointment was approved by the Region 5 secretariat and subsequently ratified by the executive committee in Swakopmund, Namibia, on Saturday.
A shrewd, but dynamic sports administrator, Mutoya has carved a name in sports management and administration and earned regional and continental recognition due to his efficiency and knowledge of the sport industry.
He has in the process earned himself the admiration of the continental body, the African Union Commission, which appointed him together with the late Mvuzo Mbebe to serve on the African Games Technical Committee.
“My immediate tasks involve recasting our strategic plan and properly orienting the regional sports architecture. Once done, that should define strategies that the region should pursue, key among them being the commercialisation of the region’s products and services,” he said.
Mutoya, who is based at the AUSC Region 5 head office in Gaborone, Botswana, carries a heavy regional sporting load on his shoulders and will be expected to provide strategic direction and guidance for the anticipated sport trajectory in the region.
“My task is by no means a small feat at all. I am alive to the humongous demands and land mines that lie in our sporting terrain and with the support of my team in the office, members of the secretariat and the executive committee, this region can always improve and assume its leadership position in Africa,” said Mutoya.
The AUSC Region 5 comprises 10 countries, Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Meanwhile, in elections presided over by the president of the Confederation of Southern African National Olympic Committees, Robert Magagula, on Saturday, Vetumbuavi Veii of Namibia and Malawian George Jana were retained unopposed as chairman and vice-chairman of the AUSC Region 5 respectively.
Lawrence Mthethwa of Swaziland was elected unopposed to the position of chairperson of finance and marketing, which was held by Charles Nhemachena, who did not stand, while Antonio Gomes (Angola) was elected chairman of the Sports Development Technical Commission after two rounds of voting could not separate him and Limpho Mokhochane of Lesotho.
Six countries Angola, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland were eligible to vote, while Botswana, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe were ineligible, as they were not in good and regular standing at the time of the elections.