The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE Rugby Union president, Aaron Jani is now an executive committee member of the Rugby Africa’s women advisory committee, whose role is to shape the future of the women’s game on the African continent.
Jani was recently confirmed as a member of the advisory committee, which is chaired by Kenyan Paulina Lanco.
The ZRU boss said the working group offers guidance to the Rugby Africa leadership when it comes to matters relating to the women’s game on the continent.
“This committee is the one that advises the Rugby Africa executive in terms of women rugby issues, this informs the executive committee when they are doing policy formulation in as far as women are concerned, they take their advice from thus committee,’’ said Jani.
He believes his appointment means that Zimbabwe now have a say in how women’s rugby is run in Africa.
“It means Zimbabwe has a voice in terms of shaping the narrative in as far as women’s rugby is concerned. It’s a big opportunity to influence and to shape the future of women’s rugby in Africa.”
Some of the issues that the advisory committee focuses on include empowerment of the girl child and growth of the women’s game on the continent.
“This will go towards issues of growing rugby in the different regions in Africa, how do we grow rugby, it will go towards how do we promote the girl child, in terms of empowering them, in terms of courses, in terms of programmes that are geared to help the girl child to be a force within the rugby fraternity,’’ Jaini said.
Last year, Jani was voted into the Rugby Africa executive committee at the continental body’s annual general meeting held in Marrakesh, Morocco. It was at the same AGM that a new Rugby Africa president, Khaled Babbou of Tunisia was voted in unopposed to replace long serving Abdelaziz Bougja who was elected honorary president unanimously. Also chosen without any opposition, was vice president Andrew Owor of Uganda, treasurer, Tano Elvis (Ivory Coast) and secretary general Jurie Roux (South Africa).
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