SPORT, Arts and Culture minister Andrew Langa has said he will not allow football to rot in the country through unnecessary divisions that are haunting the country’s mother football body Zifa.
BY KENNETH NYANGANI
Langa made the remarks at the launch of the 13th edition of National Youth Games that was held in Mutare last Friday.
Addressing journalists after the launch, Langa said the government had no problem disbanding Zifa.
“We want Zifa to run their affairs without interference from anyone. We recall that the current body was elected by councillors and associations and we okayed it. If there is anything that can be done to this body it is up to the councillors,” he said.
“We have statutes at Fifa which does not allow us to interfere, but at the same time we will not allow football to rot in the country through unnecessary divisions within the body and mismanagement of ourselves and Zifa.
“We have no problems disbanding Zifa. We can do it if we want, but we are allowing them to follow correct processes. I am happy that the councillors called a meeting and Fifa made a ruling over the matter, and I am happy that the meeting is going to be held again.”
Zifa president Cuthbert Dube, board members Fungai Chihuri and Tawengwa Hara were recently fired during an extra-ordinary general meeting by a group of councillors that was held in the capital.
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They, however, bounced back after world football governing body Fifa overturned the decision declaring the meeting null and void. Fifa argued that the national football association did not follow its constitution.
The football governing body has already indicated that Zifa should hold an extra-ordinary meeting by June 16 2015.
The divisions at Zifa have pitted Dube, Hara, John Phiri and Chihuri on one side and vice-president Omega Sibanda, who had been installed as acting president last Saturday, board member (finance) Bernard Gwarada and suspended Women’s Football boss Mirriam Sibanda on the other
But it seems the vice-president has been left in the cold for now after Gwarada donated a bus and fuel for the Mighty Warriors trip to Zambia on Saturday. Meanwhile, Langa said he was confident that the National Youth Games would be successfully hosted in Manicaland.
“The thrust and objective of hosting these games is to bring schoolchildren and youth together and compete in their different fields to help them develop talent, and it will also help us identify those that can be built beyond these games,” he said.
“We have seen some youngsters going beyond Zimbabwe after exposing themselves at the games. I am very confident that the games are going to be successfully held here in Manicaland.”
The event was attended by Manicaland Provincial Affairs minister Mandi Chimene and other senior government officials.
