Zimbabwe Rugby Referees Honour Pazani and Kawonza for Outstanding Service

The Zimbabwe Rugby Referees Society held its annual merit awards last weekend, celebrating officials who made a strong impact in 2025. Precious Pazani and Abigail Kawonza received the president’s Distinguished Service Awards, which recognize long term dedication and exceptional contribution to rugby officiating. Their achievements strengthened Zimbabwe’s profile in global rugby. Their recognition also highlighted the rising standards within the country’s refereeing structures.

Pazani collected two major honours, adding the ZRRS International Referee of the Year award to her Distinguished Service Award. She reached a new level in her career this year when she became the first Zimbabwean referee to officiate at both the Six Nations Championship and the Rugby World Cup. These assignments placed her among the world’s elite officials. Her work showed the growing talent pool in Zimbabwe.

Kawonza also achieved a historic milestone when she became the first Zimbabwean woman appointed as a World Rugby Citing Official. Her international duties included serving as a World Rugby Educator and Citing Commissioner, where she mentored officials across Africa. Her work supported new pathways for women in refereeing. Her recognition confirmed the value of her leadership and long term service.

The awards featured 14 categories covering performance, development and commitment. Talent Gandiwa was the most celebrated recipient with five awards, including ZRRS Referee of the Year and World Rugby Educator of the Year. Russel Biyason won Rookie of the Year, while Rejoice Simeti took the Most Improved Player award. The event aimed to reward progress, dedication and consistency.

Michael Ncube and Praise Mhurudzekunze were honoured as the top upcoming match officials in the male and female divisions. Prince Marange received the Traveller Referee of the Year award for his commitment to covering long distance fixtures. Victor Mushayahama was named Most Disciplined, and Ncube recorded the highest fitness score among officials. These awards encouraged discipline and performance growth across the board.

ZRRS president Simbarashe Dangah praised Kawonza for her leadership between 2019 and recent years. He noted that she guided the society through difficult periods in global sport and helped strengthen relationships with unions in South Africa, Zambia, Uganda and Kenya. He highlighted her continued influence through her work at the Women’s Africa Sevens. His remarks reflected the value of her vision and commitment.

Dangah also commended Pazani for her ground breaking achievements on the world stage. He noted that her Rugby World Cup appointment made her the first Zimbabwean referee to reach that level. He said her success represented national pride and showed the potential of Zimbabwe’s refereeing system. His comments placed her season among the most significant in the nation’s sporting history.

This year’s ceremony highlighted the steady rise of Zimbabwean match officials. It confirmed the impact of strong mentorship and continued development. It also showed how individual achievements can elevate national standards. The awards closed with a clear message that Zimbabwean referees are reaching new levels of excellence.