The ManicaPost
Senior Sports Reporter—
PASSIONATE football administrator, Ticha Zikai, has quit the army outfit executive committee post citing pressing personal commitments, a development that is likely to deal a blow to the team’s efforts to return to the Premiership.Until his recent departure from Buffaloes affairs, Zikai has been religiously serving as a committee member since the days the team was in Division One when it eventually got promoted into the Premiership about a half a decade ago.
Zikai, whose commitment and dedication to duty was unmatched given the personal resources from his budding business entity that he poured into Buffaloes coffers, served in a Buffaloes executive committees that had businessmen, Tendai Chitowa and Hlanganiso Matangaidze as club chairmen.
Although no immediate confirmation could be obtained, as Zikai neither confirmed nor denied quitting his post at Buffaloes, reliable sources at the Mutare army outfit confided in this newspaper that the decision has already been made.
“I do not think it is proper that I can talk to the Press before all deliberations are concluded at organisation level. I will come back to you at the right time,” said Zikai.
However, well placed source at Buffaloes, who declined to be named, said word had already reached the executive committee that he would no longer be active in the executive committee.
“It is very true, he will not be there next year unless if there is a last minute change of heart. What is only left maybe is the formal communication which could be done any time from now. Buffaloes will surely miss him.
“He was really helpful in every way. His experience, the resources that he poured into the welfare of the team and the players was something we badly needed especially if we still entertained chances of making a quick return to the Premiership,” he said.
Buffaloes failed to gain Premiership promotion as was largely expected last season after Correctional services side, Tenax held them to a one-all stalemate at Sakubva Stadium, a result that left Harare-based Yadah Gunners gaining promotion via the Eastern Region ticket.
The development irked a number of Mutare football enthusiasts who will now go for the 2017 football season without a resident Premiership football team.
This might have also influenced Zikai’s decision given the frustration that some members of the executive went through when they did their best yet the players and coaches failed to play their part.
