THE Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) says the glaring problems at Zifa, after the suspension of eight councillors is now a serious threat to the nation and corrective action will be taken as matter of urgency.
BY WELLINGTON TONI/FORTUNE MBELE
On Monday, a Zifa board meeting in Harare suspended vice-president Omega Sibanda, board member (finance) Bernard Gwarada, four regional chairpersons, a regional secretary and a provincial chairman for attending a meeting on May 16 that removed Cuthbert Dube from office.
Dube was ousted together with Tawengwa Hara and Fungai Chihuri, but the tables turned when Fifa reversed the decision.
Sibanda and Gwarada were suspended in a typical retaliatory stance ahead of another councillors’ meeting set for this Saturday in the capital where, again, Dube, Hara and Chihuri are the main targets for removal.
Women’s Football boss Mirriam Sibanda was shown the exit door two months ago and should the Saturday meeting go ahead and suspend Dube, Hara and Chihuri, then Zifa will be left with no leadership.
And SRC is clearly not impressed. In a statement released yesterday, SRC director-general Charles Nhemachena said corrective action will be taken once they have been furnished with a report of what transpired on Monday.
The statement read: “The reported suspensions of some members by the Zifa board yesterday (Monday), in addition to the earlier suspension of the Women’s Football representative on the board are, but a manifestation of the dysfunctional governance that now characterises the administration of the beautiful game of football.
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“The recent action to suspend some of the Zifa Council and board members as afore-mentioned is in complete disregard of the advice that the commission and indeed the (Sports) Ministry has been giving to the Zifa board, specifically on the need to work as a team and to desist from engaging in actions that would shift their focus from the primary goal of football development and developing the sport into an industry that is capable of contributing meaningfully to the ideals of youth empowerment, employment creation and growing the economy.
“It is apparent that the dysfunctional conflicts that now characterise the football leadership are so deep-rooted to the extent that no meaningful effort towards the development of football can be expected.
“This, coupled with other glaring inadequacies of our football leadership, has become a serious threat to our national interest.
“The commission notes and appreciates the anxiety of the nation at large created by the goings- on in Zifa, and the understandable impatience for corrective action to be taken immediately.
“The commission will, as a matter of priority, review Zifa’s actions in detail once the official report on the suspensions has been received, and corrective action will thereafter be taken as necessary, to due process.”
Yesterday, Dube briefed Sport, Arts and Culture minister Andrew Langa on the latest developments.
As the Zifa implosions continue, Southern and Northern Regions chairmen Musa Mandaza and Willard Manyengavana say they still hold the reins and will not dwell on information that is coming from the media.
Regional chairpersons Mandaza, Piraishe Mabhena (Eastern), Felton Kamambo (Central) and Manyengavana (Northern) together with Sibanda and Gwarada were among those purged.
Said Mandaza: “I am still the chairman of the Zifa Southern Region. Nothing has changed. I have not received any official communication from Zifa and it will be premature for me to respond, but definitely as far as I am concerned, I am the chairman.
“I have just seen it in the newspapers, heard it on radio and seen on television, but I am a soldier who fights from the front. This is a constitutional matter which needs to be solved by the councillors. They (Zifa board) have done what they have done, but I have not breached any constitution. We will soon be issuing a statement.”
Manyengavana echoed Mandaza’s sentiments.
“I have not heard anything from them (Zifa). They have not written to us. I am still the chairman of the Northern Region until I get the suspension letter. After that, that is only when I will look for the way forward and seek legal advice, these are constitutional matters. As of now, nothing shows that I have been suspended,” Manyengavana said.
Also suspended were Northern Region secretary-general Sweeney Mushonga and Matabeleland North provincial chairman Denis Tshuma.
