The ManicaPost
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
THE ZIFA Normalisation Committee (NC) will soon be holding elections for new office bearers in the country’s four regions, and electioneering is now in motion in the Eastern Region where some candidates have already expressed interest to take over the reins in the volatile regional football administration body.
NC chairperson, Lincoln Mutasa, recently told sports journalists in Harare that while the process to have the formulation of the committee that will review the constitution and electoral code to pave way for fresh election which will usher in a new Zifa congress is in motion, regional elections are imminent.
The NC, appointed by FIFA in July last year following Zimbabwe’s suspension from international football, was entrusted with the task of managing ZIFA’s daily affairs, restructuring the administration, reviewing statutes and electoral code, and organising elections for a new ZIFA board.
With a deadline of June 30, 2024, the committee aims to fulfill its obligations within the stipulated time, despite falling behind schedule.
During the Press conference, the NC addressed various issues that marked their tenure, including rumours of seeking an extension of their mandate beyond June 30.
Currently, the NC is also seized with the formulation of the committee that will review the constitution and electoral code to pave way for fresh election which will usher in a new ZIFA congress.
Mutasa said while that process is in motion, regional elections are imminent.
“The compliance does not stop the elections. In fact, I think very soon we will start having regional elections. Everything that constitutes the congress is going to start taking place, so clearly once we go down that road, it means we have actually started the journey to hold elections.
“The journey ends when we have constituted the congress and we have agreed as a committee that this is what we want from ZIFA and this is how we are going forward,” said Mutasa.
The NC chairperson also dismissed reports that they wanted to have their mandate timeline extended beyond June 30.
“We are hopeful that we will meet our mandate target dates. We now have a roadmap that we have come up with,” said Mutasa.
In the Eastern Region, passionate football team owner, Gray Hama, who together with his equally passionate wife Miriam, a couple reminiscent of the late Eric and Elizabeth Rosen who once owned the now defunct Motor Action FC, have given youths in Ruwa a platform to showcase their football talent, confirmed that he will be competing for a post in the regional football body.
“I intend to work on changing the system itself.
“First, we will focus on bringing sustainable sponsorship to the region. I also aim at improving the quality of football in the region.
“There has been an outcry on issues to do with discipline and we need to make sure that there is separation of duties in undertaking executive roles.
“We aim to promote good corporate governance principles through ensuring accountability and transparency in all football operations. Corruption and maladministration will be a thing of the past when I get into office. Remember we are not in this game to make money, instead we have been spending our money on this game for years,” said Hama, without specifically revealing the post he wants to compete for in the regional football administration body.
Of late, there has been a seemingly perpetuating unwritten law that the chairman of the Eastern Region comes from Chiredzi after former chairman, Fungai Chihuri passed on the button to the late Piraishe Mabhena, and later to the incumbent Davison Muchena, who all managed the affairs of the region from Chiredzi.
The ZIFA Eastern Region comprises Manicaland, Masvingo and Mashonaland East provinces.
Its offices are located in Masvingo despite Manicaland being the central part of the region.
