Online Reporter
AS we reported on Monday, this is the most expensive ZIFA poll in history.
By the time the contest ends, and a winner is declared, it’s very likely that more than US$1 million would have been spent on these elections.
We reported that already thousands of dollars are being spent on the campaign, which involves more than 50 candidates, who have been travelling all over the country trying to woo the vote of the Councillors.
We also noted that there are the undeclared amounts which are given to some of these Councillors, disguised as compensation for their transport costs, when in reality it’s a bait, which some will call a bribe, to get their vote.
The former ZIFA president Felton Kamambo was dragged to court over these payments and faced allegations of bribing the Councillors who swept him into power.
However, Kamambo was acquitted of the bribery allegations with the magistrate siding with him that these were just payments to cover the costs of the money which the Councillors had used to come and hear his message.
This appears to have given those who are seeking office at ZIFA the greenlight to also give money to the Councillors which they are saying is compensation for their transport costs.
Of course, this then paves the way for some dark arts as other candidates can then take advantage of this to bribe some of the Councillors. We also noted that tens of thousands of dollars were being spent on high-profile lawyers who have been dragged into these polls in the legal challenges which have arisen. A lot of money is also being spent at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The election saga spilled into the CAS corridors after Benjani Mwaruwari and Gift Banda lodged a joint appeal challenging their disqualification from the elections.
We reported that the duo will be required to pay US$25 000 to CAS.
These are huge sums of money and this has raised questions within the game.
For us, what matters is that we have the right people to lead our national game and transform it so that it can fulfill its potential.
There is no doubt that our football has suffered, in the past few years, in which it was held back by that suspension from FIFA after Kamambo’s leadership was kicked out of office.
That paralysis affected every facet of our game because our referees did not get the education they needed to improve themselves in a rapidly changing environment.
It also affected our coaches as they could not benefit from the FIFA funding which helps them to keep themselves updated with the changing trends in the game.
All that has to be sorted out.Our football is crying out for a Messiah, someone who can drag it back into the light after years in the darkness.
What matters for us is getting the right team to lead ZIFA. Hopefully, after all these huge sums of money which have been spent, we will get the right leadership.
daglous masveta
