This archive report was first published on 18 July 2019.
AFCON 2019: Football Fan's 10,000km Journey to Cairo Earns Him Special Treatment ¶
Alvin "Aluvah" Zhakata, a 32-year-old Zimbabwean football fan, has made history with his 10,000km journey from South Africa to Egypt to watch the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.
Starting on May 27, Zhakata and his friend Botha Msila, a South African football fan, set out on a daring journey, but they were soon separated at the Kenya-Ethiopian border when Msila could not get a visa and had to return to Nairobi.
Undeterred, Zhakata continued his journey, exposing himself to danger through Sudan during the country's revolutionary protests.
He finally made it to Cairo, Egypt, last week, completing his 44-day, 10,000km journey, but unfortunately, his country Zimbabwe had already been eliminated from the competition.
However, Zhakata's story of tenacity and resolve caught the attention of CAF president Ahmad Ahmad, who has offered him a special treatment ahead of the AFCON finals pitting Senegal and Algeria on July 19.
According to reports, the CAF boss has offered Zhakata a VVIP seat to watch the finals and a return air ticket to Zimbabwe.
"If you have a passion for something, go for it. Pursue it until you get it. It may be delayed, but delay is not denial - be patient and be strong, because the harder the battle, the sweeter the victory," Zhakata told BBC.
"For the CAF president to promise me a VVIP treatment on the final match day and also to fly me back to Zimbabwe is something awesome and also incredible, thanks to everyone," he added.
