Bosso decide

FOLLOWING weeks of campaigning, six candidates vying for the two vacant positions at Bosso will know if they have done enough to win the hearts and souls of club members during an election at the Highlanders clubhouse this morning.

Four are gunning for the posts of executive vice-chairman while two are aspiring to be the club's next treasurer. Those going for the second most powerful post in the Highlanders executive are the incumbent Mgcini Mpofu, Modern "Voltage" Ngwenya, Nkosinathi Ncube and Kenneth Mhlophe.

Donald Ndebele, co-opted into the treasurer's post last year after Jerry Sibanda stepped down is looking for an endorsement from members to carry on in the same role. His only challenger is personal banker Charles Ndlovu.

Those eyeing the positions in the executive have been busy trying to convince Highlanders card-carrying members they are the best for those positions. Some of the candidates took their campaigns to Esigodini, Filabusi, Gwanda, Plumtree, Gweru, Victoria Falls, Harare and Mutare.

However, information gathered on the ground indicate that the race for the vice-chairmanship's would be a two-horse race between Engineer Ngwenya and Retired Colonel Mhlophe who have been visibly busy campaigning over the weeks while incumbent Mpofu is viewed as an underdog.

Ngwenya, a businessman now domiciled in Bulawayo came up with a 10-point manifesto in which he promises to assist in bringing about change at the club where he promises to use his connections in the corporate sector to get Bosso into beneficial financial partnerships.

Ngwenya also pledges to assist in strengthening the supporters' chapters, mobilise, harness, grow and entrench financial support for Bosso, through strategic business plans for business ventures that include the Bosso clubhouse and Manwele Bar.

Achieving the club's mission, vision and objectives, to help in the reactivation of the various club sub-committees, strengthening supporters' chapters, and reactivation of the various club sub-committees, are some of his target areas.

"I do not want to come there to add to the numbers, but to add value to this great institution. I want to come in to assist, to influence and to change things. I am not coming as a boss, but as a servant. I have got the appetite, the zeal, the enthusiasm and the expertise,'' said Ngwenya, who boasts of not having missed any Highlanders' game last season, when he was based in Harare.

"As an advocate of servanthood leadership I will ensure there is an open door policy which will create a conducive environment for club members to input their visions, plans and dreams into the club for consideration and implementation by the executive,'' added Ngwenya, the past chairman of the Harare Highlanders' supporters chapter.

Ncube came up with his programme of action which includes selling the club offices and sprucing up the Highlanders Sports Club which is in a state of neglect. Mhlophe has no manifesto as he believes that Highlanders already have a plan of action which he is going to follow. The Harare-based Mpofu has not been seen much campaigning like other candidates, perhaps as sign that he is either confident of his works since he assumed the post in 2013 or has already given up on hopes of being re-elected.

For the treasurer, some of the Bosso members are believed to be for Ndebele remaining in the role for the sake of continuity while there are those who feel he never saw himself as a treasurer; hence his decision to contest the secretary-general's post last year that went to Emmett Ndlovu.

Ndebele's challenger Ndlovu is a former chief cashier at the club and the Premier Soccer League. Turnout at last Sunday's AGM was poor, but a good attendance is expected for today's elections. The electorates at today's affair ought to have been members for a period of 12 months, the cut off date being 23 January 2015 while candidates and those who signed their nomination forms should have been paid-up members for 24 months.

The Electoral Committee led by board chairman Jonathan Moyo will present all candidates to the members before the voting. Each candidate will be given a few minutes to sell himself and his ideas to the electorate, who, however, are not allowed to ask questions. A candidate who gets less than 10 percent of the votes cast will forfeit his $100 nomination fee.