Pasuwa sacking not endorsed by all Zifa board members

THE ill-timed decision to relieve Warriors coach Kallisto Pasuwa, and his entire technical team, of their duties at the national side was not endorsed by the six-man Zifa board, The Sunday Mail reported.

Then Zifa acting president Omega Sibanda signed the statement that sealed Pasuwa's fate and also announced a new technical team led by Chicken Inn coach Joey Antipas. Antipas however, declined the appointment.

Pasuwa - a four-time league title winner, who led the Warriors to their fourth consecutive Chan finals, marshalled the national Under-23s to the CAF youth championships and is joint Group L leaders for a ticket to the 2017 Afcon finals - was last week relieved of his duties as coach days after he had just begun preparing his charges for next month's Chan finals.

The sacking came as a shock to many football stakeholders, who took to social networks to express their shock and disapproval.

Minister of Sports and Recreation Makhosini Hlongwane also expressed his dismay at the decision.

However, as details emerge, it is alleged Edzai Kasinauyo, Philemon Machana, Felton Kamambo and Piraishe Mabhena did not attend the Extraordinary meeting, which Sibanda claims resolved to fire Pasuwa and replace him with Antipas.

Association president Philip Chiyangwa on Friday said he attended the meeting but referred all questions to his deputy.

"Yes, I attended the meeting but I am not commenting on that. Talk to Sibanda," said Chiyangwa.

Sibanda insisted that the decision was not his but he only conveyed what had been agreed on by the board.

However, a board member who spoke on strict condition of anonymity, said he was not part of the Thursday Extraordinary meeting and from what he knows, none among the other four board members attended the meeting.

"I can tell you authoritatively that all the four board members did not attend this so-called meeting," said the source.

"We were not invited neither were we consulted even via phone or otherwise.

"As it is, an emergency board meeting has been slated for Sunday (today) and we expect the vice-president to explain how he ended up making such a scandalous pronouncement.

"We are not even talking about the wisdom in the decision to fire the technical team but the manner in which that decision was arrived at.

"We cannot accept such a disastrous start and will kindly request that the decision be reversed," said the board member who declined to be named.

Sibanda on Thursday chaired a meeting which was attended by Pasuwa, association CEO Jonathan Mashingaidze, Technical Director Maxwell Takaendesa Jongwe and Wellington Mpandare with the former Gunners man being introduced as the new Warriors manager, taking over from Sharif Mussa.

Pasuwa is said to have resisted Mpandare's appointment, a stance which, however, did not go down well with Sibanda.

Sibanda is said to have then brought to Pasuwa's attention that the Zifa constitution states that the technical team is appointed by the executive committee and not by the head coach.

As the argument between Pasuwa and Sibanda raged, the latter is said to have demanded that Pasuwa also eject assistant coach Saul Chaminuka in the same manner he had done with Dynamos defender Ocean Mushure because the Buffaloes coach had also missed the first three days of camp.

Around 7pm of the same day, Sibanda then released a statement that announced the firing of the Pasuwa led technical team and appointed a new one led by Antipas.