Sports / Soccer
Zifa debt doctored
03 Jun 2016 at 06:30hrs | Views
ZIMBABWE Tourism Authority (ZTA) chief executive officer Karikoga Kaseke says the $52,000 hotel bill incurred by Zifa during the Cosafa Senior Cup hosted and won by Zimbabwe in 2009 was fully paid by the government.
The bill included accommodation and meal expenses for all participating teams, but it's still included in the close to $7 million debt incurred by Zifa, raising suspicions that some figures could have been either "doctored or invented".
Zifa finance manager Benjamin Dhewa confirmed that the debt was incurred during the 2009 Cosafa tournament and stands at $52,069.30
Seven years after the tournament was staged as part of the rebranding Zimbabwe campaign led by ZTA, the bill still appears on the Zifa books.
However, Kaseke insists that "all expenses were fully paid for by the government and Zifa should find out who stole that money".
His stance is in sync with Cosafa secretary-general Sue Destombe, who exonerated Zifa and Cosafa from the debt.
"In 2009, the Cosafa Senior Challenge was hosted by Zimbabwe at the request of the ZTA as part of the 'rebrand Zimbabwe' campaign.
"Part of the hosting agreement was that all accommodation and meals for the teams and referees was payable by ZTA and not by Cosafa or Zifa," said Destombe
Karikoga confirmed that the initiative was taken by ZTA and was part of the 2010 Fifa World Cup marketing tool, but said it was not necessarily the tourism body that was supposed to pay.
"As far as I remember, this (2009 Cosafa Senior Challenge) was part of the 2010 World Cup preparations (and) yes ZTA took the initiative led by one Pamire since we were a very interested stakeholder, but all the hosting was fully funded by the government," said Kaseke.
"That's why my Minister (Walter Muzembi) and former Minister (Education, Sport, Arts and Culture) David Coltart co-chaired this tournament under the 2010 World Cup Organising Committee. I repeat all expenses were fully paid by government. Zifa should look at themselves and find out who stole the money, which I know without doubt government disbursed," said Kaseke.
He said ZTA was not a cave where things can "hide", adding that the question to be asked is who exactly stole the money released by the government.
"That should be the question to ask. Why should ZTA pay when government has paid? ZTA is not a cave where things can hide. This is what they wanted to do with the Brazil saga and the Kentaro case. Zifa has thieves and they must flash them out and get them arrested," charged Kaseke.
The bill included accommodation and meal expenses for all participating teams, but it's still included in the close to $7 million debt incurred by Zifa, raising suspicions that some figures could have been either "doctored or invented".
Zifa finance manager Benjamin Dhewa confirmed that the debt was incurred during the 2009 Cosafa tournament and stands at $52,069.30
Seven years after the tournament was staged as part of the rebranding Zimbabwe campaign led by ZTA, the bill still appears on the Zifa books.
However, Kaseke insists that "all expenses were fully paid for by the government and Zifa should find out who stole that money".
His stance is in sync with Cosafa secretary-general Sue Destombe, who exonerated Zifa and Cosafa from the debt.
"Part of the hosting agreement was that all accommodation and meals for the teams and referees was payable by ZTA and not by Cosafa or Zifa," said Destombe
Karikoga confirmed that the initiative was taken by ZTA and was part of the 2010 Fifa World Cup marketing tool, but said it was not necessarily the tourism body that was supposed to pay.
"As far as I remember, this (2009 Cosafa Senior Challenge) was part of the 2010 World Cup preparations (and) yes ZTA took the initiative led by one Pamire since we were a very interested stakeholder, but all the hosting was fully funded by the government," said Kaseke.
"That's why my Minister (Walter Muzembi) and former Minister (Education, Sport, Arts and Culture) David Coltart co-chaired this tournament under the 2010 World Cup Organising Committee. I repeat all expenses were fully paid by government. Zifa should look at themselves and find out who stole the money, which I know without doubt government disbursed," said Kaseke.
He said ZTA was not a cave where things can "hide", adding that the question to be asked is who exactly stole the money released by the government.
"That should be the question to ask. Why should ZTA pay when government has paid? ZTA is not a cave where things can hide. This is what they wanted to do with the Brazil saga and the Kentaro case. Zifa has thieves and they must flash them out and get them arrested," charged Kaseke.
Source - chronicle
