Hooray! Farai Jere fails eligibility test

Premier Soccer League (PSL) chairperson Farai Jere's ambition to ascend to the Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) presidency has hit a dead end after he failed the eligibility vetting process. The Zifa executive committee elections are scheduled for January 25, and only six candidates have been approved to contest for the top position.

Jere, who had confidently declared his intention to lead Zifa, joins a list of notable figures disqualified from the race, including Yadah Football Club owner Walter Magaya, former Warriors striker Benjani Mwaruwari, and politician and ex-Warriors fitness trainer Temba Mliswa.

Zifa released the official list of candidates yesterday, revealing that Marshall Gore, Philemon Machana, Nqobile Magwizi, Martin Kweza, Twine Phiri, and former Highlanders and Dynamos striker Makwinje Phiri are the final contenders for the presidency.

Twine Phiri, a former Caps United president and ex-PSL chairperson, is considered a strong candidate, alongside Northern Region Division One Soccer League chairperson Martin Kweza, who has garnered significant support after passing the vetting process. Machana, who served on the last Zifa board under Felton Kamambo, also enters the race with experience in football administration.

The reasons behind Jere's disqualification were not disclosed by the Zifa electoral committee, but speculation points to a technicality involving certificates submitted under his former surname, Farai Mutimbo, which he changed to Jere in 2002. Meanwhile, Magaya's exclusion comes as a surprise to many, given his active role in football development, including constructing stadiums and sponsoring women's football.

For the two vice-presidential posts, former women's football boss Mavis Gumbo stands out as one of the contenders. One of the vice-presidency roles is reserved for a woman, with candidates such as Patience Mutumwa, Joyce Kapota, Loveness Mukura, and Winnet Murota vying for the position.

The second vice-presidency, open to both men and women, has attracted high-profile contenders, including Premier Soccer League CEO Kennedy Ndebele, former Zifa vice-president Omega Sibanda, Peter Dube, Francis Nyamutsamba, and James Takavada.

The race for ordinary board member positions is equally competitive, featuring prominent names such as Gilbert Saika, Sharif Mussa, Nicholas Munyonga, Tavengwa Hara, and former Zifa communications manager Xolisani Gwesela. A host of other candidates, including former Warriors coach Sunday Chidzambwa and Alois Bunjira, are also in the running for the six available spots.

The elections are expected to reshape the leadership of Zimbabwean football, with the new executive tasked with addressing the challenges facing the sport, including governance issues and rebuilding the country's reputation on the international stage.