The ManicaPost
Ray Bande Senior Reporter
ASPIRING Zifa candidates are set to descend on Mutare this weekend with incumbent president Philip Chiyangwa topping the list of contenders taking their campaign trail to the Eastern Region which has 12 councillors who will vote in the December 16 elections.
The list of the electoral college for the Zifa executive committee plebiscite which will be held in Harare next Sunday has already been released, with 12 of 60 Zifa councillors eligible to vote, hailing from the Eastern Region.
With the Diamond Super Cup final at Mutare Boys High tomorrow (Saturday) and the coronation of Premiership new-boys Manica Diamonds the next day, aspiring candidates will to take advantage of the events, where the 12 Eastern Region Zifa councillors will be present, to canvass for support.
Chiyangwa will square off against former executive committee member Felton Kamambo, while his deputy Omega Sibanda faces challenge from Gift Banda.
Five candidates, Bryton Malandule, Chamu Chiwanza, Stanley Chapeta, Sugar Chagonda and incumbent Philemon Machana are vying for the four executive committee slots.
The elections will see the 60 delegates voting for the Zifa president, his deputy and four executive committee members.
The Eastern Region chairman Davison Muchena, his deputy Cryril Mukweva, secretary Simba Wisdom, committee member finance Farai Rutsvara, National Association of Primary Heads national leader Masimba Chihowa, Triangle FC chairperson Lovemore Matikinyidze, Mutare City Rovers chairman Kudakwashe Chisango, provincial chairpersons Kuziwa Nyabeze (Manicaland), Nobioth Magwizi (Masvingo); Irimai Oscar Tsvura (Mashonaland East), Masvingo-based Eastern Region tertiary football representative Oliver Guriro and Mashonaland East-based Eastern Region Area Zone football representative Robert Chimutanda are expected to push for the region’s interests during the elections.
The presence of Yadah Stars in Harare, a team that gained promotion via the eastern region ticket, reduced the number of councillors to 12.
Reliable sources told this publication that the candidates or their emissaries will be in Mutare this weekend to canvass for support.
“Indeed, they are coming down to Mutare and most of them have made arrangements to meet with councilors,” said a source who refused to be named citing restrictive protocol.
Fifa have given their seal of approval on the Zifa executive committee elections.
Fifa this week told our sister paper The Chronicle that they will be sending a delegation to observe the elections.
“Fifa is monitoring the situation in relation to the Zifa elections and will deploy a delegation to observe the elective congress on 16 December 2018. Please note that we have no further comment on this matter,” said the Fifa spokesperson.
This was after the drama that saw some candidates being barred from participating in the election, and later being given the green light to partake in the plebiscite.
The moment of madness culminated into speculation that the world governing body would put in place a normalisation committee to run the affairs of the game in the country.
A normalisation committee is normally set up in an attempt to stop the “wrangling” of the stakeholders, where they will be unable to agree on basic issues around electoral process and stakeholder representation.
But with Fifa confirming that they will be sending a delegation to observe the elections, it now means that the Zifa electoral process has been endorsed and is in line with expected local and international football statutes.
Kamambo and Banda have expressed optimism that they will win the elections.
ZIFA electoral congress 2018 register:
Chimutanda Robert (Eastern Region Area Zone); Chikoti Moses (Northern Region Area Zone); Moyo Artwell(Central Region Area Zone); Masuku Ndodana (Southern Area Zone); Mathe Pervious (Midlands province); Ncube Nkosilathi (Matebeleland South province); Saika Gilbert (Mashonaland Central Province); Matapuri Derick (Mashonaland West province); Tembo Robert (Harare province); Magwizi Nobioth (Masvingo province); Tshuma Dennis (Matebeleland North province); Nyabeze Kuziwa(Manicaland province); Ntuta Francis (Bulawayo province); Tsvuura Irimai Oscar (Masonaland East province); Tapela Andrew Tabani (Southern Region); Thebe Mehluli(Southern Region);Malandule Bryton Briton (Southern Region); Siziba Sifiso(Southern Region); Chapeta Stanley (Central Region); Hill Patrick (Central Region); Marambanyika Thomas (Central Region); Shoko Pithias ( Central Region); Muchena Davison (Eastern Region); Mukwewa Cyril Gracious (Eastern Region); Simba Wisdom (Eastern Region); Rutsvara Farai (Eastern Region); Manyengavana Willard (Nothern Region); Kweza Martin Takawira (Northern Region); Nyachowa Stanslous Runyararo (Northern Region); Remba John Stuart (Northern Region); Felistas Tongogara (ZWSL); Msarah Beaullar (ZWSL); Mujuru Tafadzwa (ZWSL); Gorejena Brendah (ZWSL); Chidhakwa Givemore (Futsal); Jonga Marshall Zvikomborero (Beach Soccer); Masimba Chihohwa (NAPH); Sinyosi Elton (NAPH); Mucheka Albert (NASH); Maphosa Arthur (NASH); Guvuriro Oliviarth (Tertiary Institutions); Chekure Edward (Tertiary Institutions); Sibanda Jerry (Bulawayo City FC); Sibanda Lovemore (Bulawayo Chiefs FC); Chizengwe Shackman (Black Rhinos FC); Jere Farai (CAPS United FC); Ncube Doubt (Chapungu FC); Ncube Lifa (Chicken Inn FC); Sanyamandwe Solomon (Dynamos FC); Mtombeni Evans (FC Platinum); Remba Kudakwashe (Herentals FC); Mhlophe Kenneth (Highlanders FC); Masepe Alois (Harare City FC); Chisango Kudakwashe (Mutare City FC); GaraNicholas Nichrut (Mhloro Tavaziva J (Shabanie Mine FC); Matikinyidze Lovemore (Triangle United FC0; Chatambudza Everson (Yadah FC); Mazarire Tungamirai (ZPC Kariba FC); Gasitene Jeremiah (Ngezi Platinum FC).
