THE desperate CAF leadership has issued another spine chilling warning to Zifa president Philip Chiyangwa whom they accuse of destabilising the continent’s football mother body ahead of the CAF presidential election set for March 16.

Long standing Cameroon strongman Isa Hayatou is facing a formidable threat from Madagascar’s Ahmad Ahmad in the race for African football’s most powerful job.

Chiyangwa, the Cosafa region and a number of federation presidents have publicly thrown their weight behind Ahmad whose quest for office also appears to have received the backing of Fifa president Gianni Infantino.

Infantino is in Harare and was guest of honour at Chiyangwa’s birthday bash held on Thursday night.

Ahmad and over a dozen football association presidents also graced the occasion.

In a strong worded letter to Chiyangwa obtained by SportsZone, CAF Secretary General Hicham El Amrani notes a number of discrepancies in Chiyangwa’s defence that his was a private gathering not aimed at destabilising the federation as alleged.

“The purpose of our letter to you would appear to have been totally misunderstood by you and  in  this  could  have  arisen  as  a  result  of  the  wrong  perception  which  you  seem  to create in your own letters, namely your letter addressed to the President of the Football Association of Zambia Mr Andrew Kamanga on your personal letterhead (Annex 1) inviting him to celebrate your election as President of COSAFA as well as your birthday, whereas your letter on the same date addressed to the President of the Mali Football Association (Annex 2), uses the COSAFA letterhead, and merely refers to your election and makes no reference to your birthday.

“At the same time, we were formally informed by FIFA that the visit of the FIFA President to Zimbabwe is aimed at visiting your federation and discuss football development with other stakeholders and present the FIFA development programs, Zimbabwe being the first stop of an African tour.

“As  far  as  your  personal  celebrations  are  concerned,  you  are  quite  entitled  to  invite whomsoever you wish, but in view of the different letterheads used and the established work visit of the FIFA President, it does not seem indeed that it is an “informal” meeting.

“Finally, we have noted with much surprise your ambitious wish to have CAF present to you apologies. It would be preferable to think thoroughly about the same prior to writing to CAF.

“For your information this matter will be tabled on the agenda of the upcoming meeting of the CAF Executive Committee” threatened El Amrani.