Jawad Ziyat has been elected as the new president of Raja Casablanca, five years after his first stint.

Ziyat, 57, was in charge from 2018 to 2020 and returned to the hot seat on Monday.

“A new era and a historic responsibility begin today,” he commented following a marathon 8-hour election day.

“I extend my sincere thanks and deep gratitude to the ladies and gentlemen involved and to the loyal Raja fans for the precious trust they have placed in me to assume the responsibility of leading this venerable entity.

“It is a trust I cherish, and I am fully aware of the duty it entails and the demands it entails.”

As alluded to by Pan African Football, Ziyat returns with a clear ambition: to finally activate Raja CA and build a sustainable model.

“Nine presidents in eight years is not sustainable,” Ziyat was quoted as saying recently.

“The crisis Raja is going through is not cyclical; it’s structural.”

The project is clear: to transition the club from an association to a sports limited company, in accordance with the law.

According to an appraisal by a commissioned investment bank, Raja’s gross valuation reaches 510 million dirhams (approximately R1 billion).

“We are going to build a modern, competitive, and rigorous company, yet faithful to Raja’s popular and social identity,” Ziyat added.

Recently, African Times reported on ex-Raja Casablanca President Mohamed Boudrika being sentenced to five years in prison.

The 41-year-old was found guilty of fraud, forgery, and issuing cheques without sufficient funds.

Boudrika was also ordered to pay MAD 664,000 (R1.3 million) in damages to the victims and barred from issuing checks for one year.