Elite clique in Zimbabwe wants on capture football

Outspoken former Norton Member of Parliament Temba Mliswa has stirred controversy after being disqualified from contesting in the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) presidential elections. Mliswa took to X (formerly Twitter) to air his grievances, alleging a calculated conspiracy by a powerful elite clique seeking to capture and control Zimbabwe's football sector.

Mliswa, known for his candidness, shared a lengthy thread outlining what he perceives as a systemic agenda to suppress independent voices and perpetuate corruption in sports governance.

According to Mliswa, the current developments in ZIFA are part of a broader strategy to consolidate control over Zimbabwean sports. He pointed to similar patterns in rugby and cricket, alleging that powerful individuals and groups are working behind the scenes to undermine transparent and independent leadership.

"Many have missed the forest for the trees in the ZIFA saga. The minutiae of individual candidates such as myself, removed from contesting, is a mere addendum to the actual conspiracy by an elite clique intent on capturing the whole football sector," Mliswa wrote.

Mliswa accused the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) of facilitating this agenda under the guise of a vetting process. He claimed that the process was manipulated to favor candidates who would act as proxies for these elites while sidelining independent and principled voices.

Citing examples from other sports, Mliswa referenced the Zimbabwe Rugby Union (ZRU), where he alleged excessive control by individuals like Aaron Jani and Mtongwiza, as well as Cricket, where he praised Zimbabwe Cricket Chairman Tavengwa Mukuhlani for resisting similar "criminal overtures."

"Under the guise of an SRC-sanctioned vetting process, proxies have been allowed through while some of us, deemed ungovernable and uncontrollable, have been swiftly supplanted by dolls with hidden puppeteers," he added.

Mliswa argued that the exclusion of strong, independent candidates like himself reflects a deliberate effort to centralize control and enable resource pilfering within the football sector.

The former MP vowed to expose the details of the alleged conspiracy, including naming individuals and revealing their tactics. He also expressed willingness to stand down in favor of a credible candidate like former footballer Peter Ndlovu, further emphasizing that his priority is the integrity of the sport.

"In due time we shall be unmasking details and names. This goes beyond my candidature. I could stand down if a better and clean candidate like Peter Ndlovu stood to contest," Mliswa declared.

He criticized the vetting process as a "handpicking of convenient and pliable candidates," warning that it signals the "funeral for national football."

Mliswa's allegations come amid increasing scrutiny of Zimbabwe's sports administration, which has faced repeated accusations of corruption, mismanagement, and lack of accountability. His claims raise concerns about the potential long-term impact on the development of football and other sports in the country.

As Mliswa gears up to "unmask" those he accuses of orchestrating the conspiracy, the ZIFA elections have become a flashpoint for broader issues of governance and transparency in Zimbabwean sports. Whether his claims will lead to significant reforms or remain a contentious footnote in the country's sports history remains to be seen.