Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation workers were yesterday caught trapped in an AFCON phony story boob.
The government loud-horn was found misinforming the nation on the outcome of a Zimbabwe national soccer team result.
In its 7pm news bulletin Sunday night the national broadcaster reported to the nation that the Zimbabwe national under 23 soccer team had defeated Cameroon by a goal to nil in a Junior Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
The correct result emerged hours later as ZimEye.com reveals that Zimbabwe actually lost to Cameroon by three goals to nil.
In the report, the broadcaster claimed that the Young Warriors had qualified for the next stage of the Junior African Nations Championship after playing to a goal-less draw with Cameroon in the reverse fixture in Harare two weeks ago.
A business man who would not be named at this stage and runs a soccer betting business in Bulawayo expressed anger at the national broadcaster’s negligent reporting which has made him suffer losses.
“You can imagine that we rely on them for these results for us to make pay-outs. We have since made payouts based on wrong results and it’s affecting our whole system,” he said.
The man said he is now consulting with lawyers on what to do next as clients a are now reportedly reporting at the shop to claim their wins for accurately predicting the result.
Betting odds were completely against the Zimbabwean team beating the young Indomitable Lions of Cameroon going into the match which meant that a win for Zimbabwe fetched the panthers very highly.
Online newspapers who also rely on the national broadcaster for such news also fell victims of the bungling immediately reporting the wrong result.
Social media was also not spared the embarrassing moment as several people went out celebrating and congratulating the national team albeit for a non existent victory.
“This ZANU Dead Broadcaster is hopeless and must be shut down,” wrote a soccer fan on a WhatsApp group. “They are used to reporting lies about Mugabe and rigging election figures to extents that they now want to rig soccer results,” they added.
The broadcaster has still not given an apology on the mix up nor explained how they came up with the result.
Contacted for comment a receptionist at ZBC’s Pockets Hill studio in Harare refused to put ZimEye.com through to the news editors.