Alvin Zhakata is arguably the biggest fan of the Zimbabwean national football team, and he is ready to do anything to show his love for the Warriors.
Zhakata – fondly known as Aluvah – became the first man to make the road journey from South Africa’s Cape Town to the Egyptian capital, Cairo, for football reasons.
The young Zimbabwean began the over 10,000-kilometer journey on 21 May alongside a friend, but he arrived in Cairo alone after his companion dropped out midway.
“I come from Zimbabwe, and I’m a passionate football fan. I did a Cape-to-Cairo road trip exclusively to watch the Africa Cup of Nations. I’m also the first and only human being to travel by road for a sporting tournament, and I feel honoured to have accomplished that feat,” Aluvah said in an interview with CGTN.
The Cape-to-Cairo journey saw Alvin pass through many countries, including Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia and Sudan.
The superfan reveals that he faced a lot of challenges along the way, some of which almost had him quit his mission. He, however, overcame the frustrations and finally got his reward on 10th July when he entered Egypt.
“I said even if I miss the rest of the tournament, even if it would take me one year, I would persevere until eventually, I reach Cairo. Even if I reach in 2020 or what, I am not going back home. I am not backing down. I am striving to complete my mission and that is just that,” he said.
His biggest dream was to watch the Zimbabwean Warriors play live in Egypt, but that never came to pass as the team was knocked out of the competition before he arrived.
Zimbabwe was pooled alongside hosts Egypt, Uganda and DR Congo. They failed to win any of their games, finishing bottom of Group A.
“I would have wanted to watch my Warriors play, but things were so terrible along the way, and I had to miss it – you know. I just watched one match on television in Ethiopia when I was stuck in Ethiopia and I missed the other two matches,” Aluvah said.
For Aluvah however, a bigger opportunity came at the end of his journey. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) offered him a seat at the VIP section of the stadium for the final game pitting Senegal against Algeria.
In addition to the VIP seat, CAF president Ahmad Ahmad offered Alvin a plane ticket back home at the end of the tournament.
One of the biggest challenges that he faced while on his journey was the acquisition of travel documents allowing him into the various countries that he crossed.
With that experience, Aluvah is now calling for an expedition of the plans to have a single travel document for Africans, allowing them unlimited access to any countries within the continent.
AFCON 2019 will come to an end on Friday, as Senegal’s Teranga Lions tackle Algeria’s Desert Foxes.
The winning side will walk away with the coveted continental trophy as well as $4.5 million in cash. The losing side will take $2.5 million.
At the VIP standoff the Cairo International Stadium where the game will be played, Aluvah will sit alongside leaders such as CAF president Ahmad, as well as leaders from both Senegal and Algeria.
