Ndebele for NAFAZ job

PREMIER Soccer League chief executive Kenny Ndebele, whose golden administrative hand helped transform the domestic top-flight league, is set to take over as head of secretariat at the newly-formed National Football Association of Zimbabwe.

Ndebele, who has vast experience in football administration, is also the chief executive of PSL where he has successfully steered the ship towards professionalism.

A statement from the association yesterday said Ndebele is expected to sit on the board as the general secretary, replacing Joseph Mamutse who was appointed on an interim basis at the old ZIFA.

The position had been held by Jonathan Mashingaidze for the last five years before his contract expired in April.

However, ZIFA, which has been sinking under a heavy burden of debts, has since been dissolved and replaced by NAFAZ following a vote carried by the Congress at the weekend.

NAFAZ president Philip Chiyangwa yesterday said they are looking to lure Ndebele to move to a higher office but negotiations have not been finalised.

"He hasn't signed the contract as of now so he is not yet in the office. We are still negotiating with him and once everything is in place we will let everyone know," said Chiyangwa.

Chiyangwa and his leadership from the old ZIFA were voted back in office at the weekend following the dissolution of the football mother body which had been incapacitated by huge debts.

The executive committee, which also include vice-president Omega Sibanda and committee members Phillemon Machana, Piraishe Mabhena, Felton Kamambo was given a fresh mandate together with the chairmen from the four regions. Elizabeth Langa came in as Women's Football chairperson while Beullah Musara is a committee member.

The dissolution of ZIFA was provided for in the Association's constitution Article 72. The decision has since been communicated to both the Sports and Recreation Commission and the international football mother body, FIFA.

However, there has been debate on the manner in which the process was conducted.

Chiyangwa said everything was done according to the laws of the country since ZIFA was no longer solvent.

Sports Commission acting director general Joseph Muchechetere said their organisation has not come up with a position yet on the decision by the football leadership.

He said the matter will be dealt with by the SRC board.

"We received the communication from ZIFA and from the newly formed structure and as a matter of procedure communications of that nature are dealt with by the board. "They submitted the papers to deregister ZIFA and register a new association but that is beyond my mandate as an employee. My job is to prepare appropriate papers for the board so that I get guidance from my superior on the position of the SRC.

"It's the board which register or deregister an association in terms of the law. They look if it meets the national interests, the laws of the country and the statues of FIFA so that we protect the interests of the soccer loving Zimbabweans and the football stakeholders.

"If the board hasn't made its decision it means on our records we have ZIFA," said Muchechetere.

The full board is as follows:

President Philip Chiyangwa

1st Vice President Omega Sibanda

2nd Vice President Peter Dube

Executive Committee Member Phillemon Machana

Executive Committee Member Piraishe Mabhena

Executive Committee Member Felton Kamambo

Executive Committee Member Beullah Musara

Women's League Chairperson Elizabeth Langa

Central Region Chairman

Stanley Chapeta

Eastern Region Chairman

Davison Muchena

Northern Region Chairman

Willard Manyengavana

Southern Region Chairman Musa Mandaza

General Secretary (ex officio) Kennedy Ndebele