Sports / Soccer
Chiyangwa cornered
09 May 2018 at 15:28hrs | Views
World football governing body, Fifa has ordered the Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) to hold elections for a new executive committee "as soon as possible".
This comes after the Zifa assembly had been split along two lines following last February's Annual General Meeting (AGM).
Zifa president Philip Chiyangwa and his camp were of the view that they still had another 19 months in office since they had replaced the Cuthbert Dube-led executive at an extra-ordinary general meeting (EGM) in December 2015.
Dube and his entire board had had their mandate revoked at another EGM held in October 2015.
Since the term of office of the Zifa executive is four years, Chiyangwa and his executive had hoped to remain in office before going for re-election in December 2019.
On the other side, there are some Zifa councillors, who argued that the current Zifa executive committee's tenure had ended on March 29, this year since they had come in place to finish the term of office of the previous Dube-led executive.
The matter was discussed at the Zifa AGM in February this year and the local football governing body reached a deadlock and wrote to Fifa asking for guidance.
However, the Zurich-based organisation took too long to give a determination before eventually getting back to Zifa at the end of last month.
Following an inquiry by the Daily News, a Fifa spokesperson said: "We can confirm that Fifa has sent a letter to Zifa on April 24, informing them that given that the current Zifa executive committee inherited the four-year mandate of the previous executive committee under...Dube that began in March 2014, elections of a new Zifa executive committee should take place as soon as possible in accordance with the Zifa statutes and regulations."
Chiyangwa and his executive committee will remain in office until this election is held.
"Consequently and in accordance with the Article 2 letter C of the Zifa Electoral Code, the incumbent Zifa executive committee remains until the next election. We have no further comment."
At the moment, the Zifa executive committee is made up of Chiyangwa, vice president Omega Sibanda, treasurer Philimon Machana and Women's Football boss Rosemary Kanonge.
Zifa did not replace the late board member for development, Edzai Kasinauyo after he was expelled in March 2016 following allegations of match-fixing.
Kasinauyo was later acquitted of any wrongdoing by the Harare Magistrates' Court before his death due to heart failure.
Former board members Paraishe Mabhena and Felton Kamombe resigned at the end of March this year.
"I am alive to the fact that the mandate given to me by the Zifa congress at the by-election on the December 5, 2015 ends on this said date," Mabhena said in his resignation letter.
"I would like to thank the Zifa president, Chiyangwa, my fellow board members, the Zifa secretariat and most importantly, the Zifa councillors who trusted and voted for me to represent them on the board, I am forever indebted to them!
"It has been a pleasure and an honour to have been a part of the Zifa board. I am so proud of the work that we put in under very difficult financial challenges but I'd also like to concede that there is still so much work to be done if we are to compete with the best in world of football!
"May I take this opportunity to notify you and indeed the larger family of football, that I only step down so that I can prepare and be ready for the next election which I hope will be announced soon.
"I am a passionate football administrator, and a football fan at heart, hence I will not hesitate to serve my country in any capacity that presents itself in the future.
"I am available to help the association should there be a need for me to do so. I wish the association the best of all things good that work together to develop, promote, and control the game of ‘Association Football' in every form throughout Zimbabwe and beyond."
Timeline
Mar 2010: Dube is elected Zifa president
Mar 2014: Dube wins re-election
May 2015: Fifa saves Dube at Zifa AGM
Jun 2015: Zifa EGM sets date for another EGM
Oct 2015: Zifa EGM boots out Dube
Dec 2015: Chiyangwa wins Zifa election
Dec 2017: Zifa fails to hold AGM
Feb 2018: Zifa AGM reaches deadlock
Apr 2018: Fifa orders Zifa election
This comes after the Zifa assembly had been split along two lines following last February's Annual General Meeting (AGM).
Zifa president Philip Chiyangwa and his camp were of the view that they still had another 19 months in office since they had replaced the Cuthbert Dube-led executive at an extra-ordinary general meeting (EGM) in December 2015.
Dube and his entire board had had their mandate revoked at another EGM held in October 2015.
Since the term of office of the Zifa executive is four years, Chiyangwa and his executive had hoped to remain in office before going for re-election in December 2019.
On the other side, there are some Zifa councillors, who argued that the current Zifa executive committee's tenure had ended on March 29, this year since they had come in place to finish the term of office of the previous Dube-led executive.
The matter was discussed at the Zifa AGM in February this year and the local football governing body reached a deadlock and wrote to Fifa asking for guidance.
However, the Zurich-based organisation took too long to give a determination before eventually getting back to Zifa at the end of last month.
Following an inquiry by the Daily News, a Fifa spokesperson said: "We can confirm that Fifa has sent a letter to Zifa on April 24, informing them that given that the current Zifa executive committee inherited the four-year mandate of the previous executive committee under...Dube that began in March 2014, elections of a new Zifa executive committee should take place as soon as possible in accordance with the Zifa statutes and regulations."
Chiyangwa and his executive committee will remain in office until this election is held.
"Consequently and in accordance with the Article 2 letter C of the Zifa Electoral Code, the incumbent Zifa executive committee remains until the next election. We have no further comment."
At the moment, the Zifa executive committee is made up of Chiyangwa, vice president Omega Sibanda, treasurer Philimon Machana and Women's Football boss Rosemary Kanonge.
Zifa did not replace the late board member for development, Edzai Kasinauyo after he was expelled in March 2016 following allegations of match-fixing.
Kasinauyo was later acquitted of any wrongdoing by the Harare Magistrates' Court before his death due to heart failure.
Former board members Paraishe Mabhena and Felton Kamombe resigned at the end of March this year.
"I am alive to the fact that the mandate given to me by the Zifa congress at the by-election on the December 5, 2015 ends on this said date," Mabhena said in his resignation letter.
"I would like to thank the Zifa president, Chiyangwa, my fellow board members, the Zifa secretariat and most importantly, the Zifa councillors who trusted and voted for me to represent them on the board, I am forever indebted to them!
"It has been a pleasure and an honour to have been a part of the Zifa board. I am so proud of the work that we put in under very difficult financial challenges but I'd also like to concede that there is still so much work to be done if we are to compete with the best in world of football!
"May I take this opportunity to notify you and indeed the larger family of football, that I only step down so that I can prepare and be ready for the next election which I hope will be announced soon.
"I am a passionate football administrator, and a football fan at heart, hence I will not hesitate to serve my country in any capacity that presents itself in the future.
"I am available to help the association should there be a need for me to do so. I wish the association the best of all things good that work together to develop, promote, and control the game of ‘Association Football' in every form throughout Zimbabwe and beyond."
Timeline
Mar 2010: Dube is elected Zifa president
Mar 2014: Dube wins re-election
May 2015: Fifa saves Dube at Zifa AGM
Jun 2015: Zifa EGM sets date for another EGM
Oct 2015: Zifa EGM boots out Dube
Dec 2015: Chiyangwa wins Zifa election
Dec 2017: Zifa fails to hold AGM
Feb 2018: Zifa AGM reaches deadlock
Apr 2018: Fifa orders Zifa election
Source - dailynews
