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SRC sets up Zifa commission of inquiry

Sport
THE Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) has set up a four-member commission to investigate the chaos at Zifa and report back by July 31 after which government will make resolutions.

THE Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) has set up a four-member commission to investigate the chaos at Zifa and report back by July 31 after which government will make resolutions.

BY FORTUNE MBELE

Zifa vice-president Omega Sibanda, regional chairpersons Musa Mandaza (Southern), Piraishe Mabhena (Eastern), Felton Kamambo (Central) and Willard Manyengavana (Northern) and board member finance Bernard Gwarada were recently suspended by the Zifa board for attending the May 16 councillors’ meeting that ousted president Cuthbert Dube and also axed board members Fungai Chihuri and Tavengwa Hara.

The May 16 resolutions were later overturned by world football governing body, Fifa.

In a statement issued yesterday, SRC director-general Charles Nhemachena said his organisation had appointed commissioners Obadiah Moyo, Farai Kanyangarara, Mirriam Mushayi and Jessie Nyakatawa to investigate the challenges bedeviling football in the country.

“As a follow-up to the statement made on June 16, 2015, the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) would like to advise that it has resolved to institute a formal inquiry into the challenges that our football is facing. To this end, the SRC board has appointed the following commissioners to constitute the Committee of Inquiry into the State and Administration of Football: Obadiah Moyo, Farai Kanyangarara, Mirriam Mushayi and Jessie Nyakatawa,” Nhemachena said.

The SRC boss said Fifa had been made aware of the commission of enquiry.

“Fifa has been advised on this development and we hope that they will embrace it as a positive initiative that will address issues of mutual concern as discussed during their visit to Zimbabwe on 11 and 12 May 2015. The committee is expected to obtain oral and written evidence from various stakeholders and it will publicise its consultation programme as a matter of priority. Meanwhile, the commission will continue to engage Zifa and other stakeholders with a view to ensuring that ongoing national team commitments are fulfilled,” Nhemachena said.

The statement added: “The committee is mandated to obtain evidence in respect of governance, strategic and operational issues with a view to recommending specific interventions required to arrest the decline in our football and get it back on a development trajectory. The committee is expected to submit its report by July 31 2015 after which the full SRC Board will decide on the committee’s recommendations. The commission is convinced that this evidence-based approach to decision-making will assist in finding sustainable solutions to the current problems in football.”

Also purged at the association running football in the country are Northern Region secretary-general Sweeney Mushonga and Matabeleland North provincial chairman Denis Tshuma.

Women football boss Miriam Sibanda was another casualty.

The drama at Zifa occurs at a time when the national team, the Warriors is engaged in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, Chan assignments where they play Comoros next Saturday in the second leg after winning the reverse fixture 2-0 at Rufaro Stadium last Sunday.

The Under-23 side has qualified for the Africa Games due in September in Congo-Brazzaville and the Mighty Warriors are in contention for next year’s Olympic Games to be held in Brazil.

The Young Warriors is also facing South Africa in the final qualifier for the Under-23 Championships next month.