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Lovemore Dube, lovemore.dube@yahoo.co.uk
Former Zimbabwe youth international and Gweru United legend, Collin Semwayo believes Zimbabwe’s football woes are far from over.
Semwayo pulled out of the Zifa president’s race yesterday after five councillors allegedly demanded US$300 each to fill his nomination papers.
“I just needed five signatures appended to my form and I was told the Harare councillors want US$1 500, I then decided I would do the moral thing and pull out of the race.
Semwayo also posted on his Facebook wall: “Greetings people. Sorry guys I failed to make the cut! I couldn’t cough up a ‘bribery fee’ of $1 500 to the 5 councillors required to validate my nomination. Zimbabwe who bewitched us?”
Semwayo who also had a stint with Caps United is now a pastor and travels a lot between the United States of America and his home in Gweru.
In an interview from his overseas base the former attacking right wing star said the game can never be traded for a few pieces of silverware.
He said the game was in the mess it is in because of councillors’ unscrupulous behaviour.
“The game should never be up for sale. I refuse to be corrupt and to gain office through unorthodox means. Our football definitely deserves better and it starts at the bottom with democratic processes like nominations. But if the stage is rotten it means the rest is a fallacy.
“The game has been on its knees for a while. So what some of us wanted was real football development with well-structured national programmes that would have seen results coming by 2030, am not taking about chancing but a well-defined pathway with stakeholders’ input and involvement.
“I have been a player at the highest level back home and I have kept myself in the picture about what is happening in Zimbabwean football. I have friends abroad with whom I have spoken about the local game and are keen to help,” said Semwayo.
Semwayo said bribing to get into office is a sin, an immorality that must not manifest itself in the country.
He said every candidate and councillor must be bound by one motto to see football thriving to benefit everyone in the country.
Semwayo added that if Zifa were to be captured by cartels there would be no meaningful development.
“I meant to come in as a former player and improve what I have seen us as a nation fail to achieve because of misdirected energies. How are these people’s constituencies, are they thriving? Honestly the councillors have a lot of responsibility on their shoulders and can deliver Zimbabwe football without using dirty money,” asked Semwayo.
Semwayo’s call comes hardly five days after another candidate was blacklisted by councillors in the Northern Region after they were not satisfied with the US$30 given as transport refunds.
Several names have been flown around for several posts at Zifa.
The elections will take place on January 25 next year.
Zifa has been in the hands of a normalisation committee headed by Lincoln Mutasa with Nyasha Samanyandwa and Rose Mugadza, the other members.
Two members, Sikhumbuzo Ndebele and Cynthia Malaba were retired after completing their tasks in July.
Ndebele was in charge of technical matters and ensured that Zifa engage a head of coach education and technical director.
Malaba was responsible for setting up the whole finance department and once they had accomplished what they were assigned to do, they were retired leaving the trio to oversee the holding of elections.
Fifa then ordered that elections be held as early as possible and hence the January 25 date.
Zifa constituencies are expected to notify the Zifa Normalisation Committee of their members’ resolutions as who will come to vote as they have not held their annual general meetings and elected members.
mbulelo smpofu
