HARARE- ZIMBABWE Football Association (ZIFA) president Philip Chiyangwa says the association is mulling pulling out of African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Rwanda if the conflict in Burundi persists.
Burundi which shares the border with Rwanda has been rocked by deadly conflicts that have claimed hundreds of lives and Chiyangwa fears the close proximity to the Rwanda border may affect the staging of the tournament.
Burundi has been rocked by turmoil since April when it was announced that Nkurunziza would run for a third term in office. Nkurunziza won elections in July but the violence has since escalated.
More than 400 people have been killed in Burundi and some 220,000 have fled to neighbouring countries since April. Violent street protests in opposition to Nkurunziza staying in power boiled over into a failed military coup in May.
In an interview with the Chronicle, Chiyangwa said they will be monitoring the situation to ensure that lives of players and supporters are not put at risk.
“As we get towards the event, we will also be increasing our surveillance in terms of the safety assurances of our boys. I will not take any risk with the lives of my players and indeed any Zimbabwean
supporting our boys in Rwanda.
“If the crisis there escalates we will inform the relevant bodies, COSAFA, CAF that as Zimbabwe we can’t go there,” said the flamboyant businessman.
Though the conflict has not spread to neighbouring countries, fears are mounting of the 1994 genocide as the conflict nears a civil war.
The CHAN tournament in Rwanda kicks off on January 16 and will run up to 7 February. Soccer24.