It certainly does not rain but pours for the man who is widely regarded as the Number One supporter for the Zimbabwe senior national soccer team, Alvin ‘Aluvah’ Zhakata, in the wake of reports that the Warriors superfan has now been reduced to a street destitute in Yaoundé, Cameroon, after being stuck in the West African nation since February.
A man of lung complications, the 35-year old Aluvah is now reported to be sleeping in the cold, in the streets of Yaoundé, after he failed to pay hotel bills during the Warriors participation at the Africa Cup of Nations tournament in the West African country.
He was forced to abandon the trip back to Zimbabwe due to unpaid hotel bills
Aluvah was at one time reported to be facing arrest in Cameroun over outstanding bills.
Last week, he told Sports News Africa that he was not sure whether he would be able to return back home and see his family, again.
During the interview, Aluvah said:
“I’m exhausted. I’m starting to get depressed. God only knows if I will return to my country alive.”
Below, we publish part of the text on Aluvah’s report. Read On:
“Alvin Zhakata clings to his rosary, it has been several days that this Zimbabwean national has been squatting at the back of this establishment located in the Olembe district, not far from the stadium that hosted the opening and final of the CAN 2021 in Cameroon.
“Between the two sentences, the young man of 35 years marks a time of silence, the empty look, it has been difficult for days, in which he has not eaten well.
“Over time, he has learnt to endure, despite his precarious state of health, he has respiratory problems.
“According to his medical notebook, Alvin Zhakata has lung disease.
“He is afraid that he will never see his family again. The man sleeps under the stars, in the cold and the only companions he has are mosquitoes.”
In February, Aluvah allegedly stayed put at the hotel when the rest of the Warriors contingent were checking out following the team’s humiliating elimination from the tourney.
And, in his defence, the die-hard Warriors supporter insisted that he did not have to check out because he was on a CAF ticket, which allowed him to stay till after the final.
However, the claim may not have been true as Ndongo Nga Tharcisse, the manager at the Arenah Hotel in Yaounde, threatened to have Aluvah arrested, saying that he owed them in unpaid bills.
Subsequently, his matter got into the ears of legendary footballer and Cameroon Football Federation boss, Samuel Eto’o who came to the rescue of the Zimbabwe national and paid the outstanding hotel bills.
But, just as he thought that the storm was finally over after Eto’s intervention, Alvin Zhakata was informed that he had to pay a penalty of 387 Euros.
As he did not have the money, he returned to the Arena Hotel, where his bills continued to pile up.
He was eventually evicted after his bills for accommodation and food reached 1500 Euros.
Ever since, Aluvah has been staying on the streets of Yaoundé
This is not the first time that Aluvah has hogged the limelight for being stranded at an AFCON tournament involving the Zimbabwe Warriors. In 2019, the continental football-governing CAF came to his rescue in Egypt.
This was after Zhakata had initially been involved in a fatiguing ‘Cape-to-Cairo’ road journey to watch his beloved Warriors participate at the continent’s biggest footballing jamboree in Egypt.
When CAF’s erstwhile boss, Ahmad Ahmad learned of his plight, he directed the organization to sponsor Aluvah’s ticket back home and as a bonus, CAF also gave the Warriors fan VIP tickets for the AFCON final.
Zwnews
