Bogus Zifa told not to use CAF funds

CAF have ordered Zifa to stop accessing funds in their coffers that were deposited by the continental football body as well as Fifa, saying a defiance by present office bearers will lead to disciplinary sanctions of the officials.

In a letter written to Zifa dated July 2022, Caf's secretary-general Veron Masengo-Omba said conditions set by Fifa for reinstatement of Zimbabwe to international football have not been met and as such, the present board cannot transact on Fifa and Caf funds.

Following the recalling of Zifa's president Felton Kamambo, and two other board members Philemon Machana and Bryton Malandule in April, the assembly gave Gift Banda the mandate to lead the association's executive committee.

Part of the conditions set by Fifa for Zimbabwe's reinstatement included the reconstitution of the suspended board and their chief executive Joseph Mamutse.

Fifa said Kamambo and Mamutse should write to them confirming that they are back in office for Zimbabwe to be readmitted.

They also want the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) to withdraw the court case against the Zifa leadership, who are facing fraud charges at the magistrates court, for illegally using Zifa letterheads after they were suspended.

Fifa also want abolishment of the SRC created Zifa Restructuring Committee which it cites as third party interference.

Zifa councillors met on April 23 and revoked the mandates of Kamambo, Machana and Malandule, with other board members Barbra Chikosi, Farai Jere and Sugar Chagonda, who were also suspended having their suspensions lifted. Caf were notified of this development through a letter written on June 8.

Th continental body was also informed that BDO Chartered Accountants have commenced a forensic audit into the financial and operational affairs of Zifa.

But in all the work that is happening at Zifa, Caf insist that there is a breach of its statutes.

"The SRC's letters dated 24 May and 8 June 2022 contravene Article 7 paragraph 1(a) and (g) of the CAF Statutes which respectively states as follows:

"ARTICLE 7

"MEMBERS' OBLIGATIONS

"Members of CAF shall have the following obligations:

"To respect, and ensure that their own members respect, at all times unreservedly the principles of ethics and fair play enacted by CAF and FIFA, the principles of integrity and sportsmanship as well as the Statutes, regulations, decisions and directives of CAF and FIFA.

"To manage their affairs independently and free of intrusions and interferences of any kind by any person or body"

"2. None of the conditions stated in the FIFA Council decision dated 24 February 2022 as ratified by the FIFA Congress on 31 March 2022 has been fully and unconditionally met.

"3. Pursuant to Article 16 paragraph 3 of the FIFA Statutes, "A suspended member association may not exercise any of its membership rights.", such rights being defined in Article 13 of the FIFA Statutes. Consequently, CAF hereby directs ZIFA to immediately cease using and accessing any funds deposited by FIFA or CAF in the ZIFA accounts.

"Please note that a breach of this directive will be regarded as a violation of the FIFA Council decision dated 24 February 2022 as ratified by the FIFA Congress on 31 March 2022 and may subject ZIFA or the officials involved to disciplinary sanctions," reads Caf's response.

Caf said they will continue to monitor  the developments in Zimbabwean football.

Despite what looks like a depressing response from Caf, Zifa see hope.

"We acknowledge receipt of the Caf letter which a lot of people may interpret in a number of ways. But as Zifa, we took it as positive development because our letters had gone for some time without getting a response.

"So this development opens a window of engagement with Caf which we hope will result in a win-win situation.

"In view of this development, we hope this will intensify our engagements with key stakeholders as we continue  to reform the football structures at large," Zifa spokesperson Xolisani  Gwesela told our  Harare Bureau.