mbulelo smpofu
Lovemore Dube
AS the Zifa elections approach, many are wondering if this could mark a new era for Zimbabwean football.
Will former players or business executives take over, or will seasoned administrators retain their positions?
One notable exclusion from the list of Zifa presidential candidates is former Warriors skipper, Benjani Mwaruwari, who is now appealing to be included in the final list.
However, there are several approved candidates, including Marshall Gore, Philemon Machana, Nqobile Magwizi, Martin Kweza, Twine Phiri and former footballer Makwinji Soma-Phiri.
If Mwaruwari’s appeal is unsuccessful, former players will rely on Soma-Phiri to follow in the footsteps of Samuel E’to of Cameroon and Zambia’s Kalushya Bwalya to head their football associations.
Many former footballers feel that politicians have mismanaged the game for too long, which is why candidates like Kennedy Ndebele, Omega Sibanda, Peter Dube, Francis Nyamutsamba Zimunya, and Simbarashe James Takavada, all of who have experience in football administration, are being considered.
Zimunya a former club owner, was a player and later a coach, while Takavada is regarded as one of the best right-backs Zimbabwe produced.
He played for Ziscosteel and age group teams and the Warriors. Both have shown great initiative by standing up to decide how the game they earned many scars for is run.
Ndebele was a former Bosso chairman and secretary and enjoyed silverware during his tenure, a colourful period for the club from 2000 to 2002.
Sibanda is a former club owner, Highlanders executive member and ex-Zifa vice-president.
He deputised Phillip Chiyangwa and they bagged the 2017 Cosafa Senior Men’s Challenge and has unfinished business at 53 Livingstone Avenue.
Dube is a former Highlanders chairman and secretary who enjoyed winning pieces of silverware, the biggest being the 1998/99 league championship which became the foundation of three more having assembled a good squad further strengthened by Ndebele and the late James Mangwana-Tshuma executive.
He has also been Premier Soccer League chairman.
There are also a number of former players seeking board membership, such as Lewis Mushara, Bekimpilo Nyoni, Sunday Chidzambwa, Walter Musanhu, Terrence Malunga, Alois Bunjira, Soma-Phiri, and Harlington Shereni.
However, many of these former players have been absent from football circles since they retired, which could harm their chances of being elected.
Machana, Kweza, and Phiri are among the candidates with previous experience in football management.
Machana is a former board member of development, and his Conduit FC has done well in women’s football over the years.
Kweza is the chairman of the Zifa Northern Region, and Phiri was once the owner of CAPS United and chaired the PSL when it signed a deal with free-to-air channel SuperSport. All three have a good understanding of the top echelons of football management.
It is a balanced basket of candidates for the Zifa members to make their choices based on their suitability to take over and make Zifa operational again after a year-and-a-half of Normalisation Committee control.
Many of the candidates, including businessmen Machana, UK-based Gore, Phiri, and Magwizi, could help bring much-needed corporate governance to Zifa.
Even among the board members, there are individuals with business experience, such as Desmond Ali, Chitima, Admore Chivero, Simbarashe Ndoro, Edward Mutukwa, Chawonza, and Brighton Ushendibaba.
Former referees such as Maphosa, Norman Matemera, and Dube are also part of the list of potential candidates.
Among those seeking office as board members, some have been in the Zifa structures before like Morgen Dube, Morden Ngwenya, Andrew Tapela, Sibekiwe Ndlovu, Sweeney Mushonga, Sabelo Maphosa, experienced Chicken Inn secretary who was part of the team that crafted the previous Zifa constitution Tawengwa Hara, Cecilia Gambe, Davison Muchena, Thomas Marambanyika, Gilbert Saika, Vincent Chawonza, Xolisani Gwesela, Sweeney Mushonga, Sharrif Mussa, Zimunya, Cuthbert Chitima and Tizirayi Luphahla.
There is much optimism surrounding the potential candidates, but the council members must carefully consider who is best suited to take over and steer Zifa towards a more successful future.
