ZIFA President Cuthbert Dube effectively jumped before being pushed after calling it quits late Friday night ahead of the association’s extra-ordinary general assembly meeting set for Saturday at Zifa Village in Mt Hampden.
New Zimbabwe
Dube reportedly wrote to Minister of Sport and Recreation Makhosini Hlongwane on Friday night via the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) tendering his resignation.
The SRC confirmed receiving the letter from Dube who becomes the first Zifa president to leave office voluntarily even after winning a second four year term in office in March 2014.
In a statement late Friday night, Dube confirmed his departure and tried to defend his record.
“In the interests of football in Zimbabwe and as a true, tried and tested patriot, I have decided to resign as ZIFA President. I shall remain President of ZIFA until elections for a new President are held on 5 December 2015,” he said.
“The reason for allowing for this transitional period is to ensure that they will not be a vacuum that will exacerbate rather than ameliorate the challenges that the association is facing.
“Unlike what has happened in the past I intend, through this process, to ensure that there will be a proper and responsible hand-over/take-over process.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
“While I have been a subject of humiliation over the past few years, I will leave office with my head high in view of the Goal Project legacy I have left. It is common cause that I am the only ZIFA President that presided over a FIFA Goal Project and saw it to its completion.
“A good number of national team assignments would not have been fulfilled without commitment of my personal resources and assets. I am sure that as the new Board is ushered in at the 5th December Elective Extra-ordinary Congress, the full import of my contribution will be realised.”
‘Revoking of the mandate’ of the Zifa president was top of the agenda for the meeting of the general assembly that had twice failed to sack Dube as they had not followed procedure according to the Fifa statues and constitution.
Dube survived in May and July and the councillors had regrouped for Saturday’s Extra-ordinary General Meeting which Fifa and continental football body, the Confederation of African Football (Caf), had already endorsed that proper procedure has now been followed.
