Siphakeme .Mnindwa
Innocent Kurira, innocent.kurira@chronicle.co.zw
AS Zifa prepares for its elective congress, former employee Xolisani Gwesela is one of those who have put their name to run for a position as a board member promising to bring stability, prosperity and success to the organisation.
With a wealth of experience in football administration, Gwesela is confident that he has the answers to the various challenges facing Zifa.
Gwesela’s vision for Zifa is built around several key pillars.
Firstly, he promises to ensure equitable distribution of development grants among Zifa members, addressing the historical imbalance in funding.
He is also committed to women’s football development. Additionally, Gwesela wants to see vibrant national teams that can compete at the highest level by championing grassroots and youth development.
This would involve investing in youth football programmes and providing opportunities for young players to develop their skills.
Gwesela recognises the importance of developing football infrastructure to improve the overall standard of the game in Zimbabwe.
Furthermore, he wants to ensure that the Zifa executive committee adheres to corporate governance tenets, promoting transparency and accountability within the organisation.
Other key aspects of Gwesela’s vision include capacity building and decent funding for Zifa members, aligning Zifa rules and regulations with modern football trends and commercialising Zifa products for sustainability. He also believes in bottom-up and servant leadership, empowering Zifa members and listening to their needs and concerns.
“I had the privilege of sitting in on board meetings and writing minutes for the relevant committees. I understand the challenges that Zifa faces and I am convinced that I have the solutions,” said Gwesela.
Gwesela believes that equitable funding of football development among Zifa members is key to achieving this vision.
“One of the biggest problems facing Zifa is that our members are underfunded. I plan to ensure that football development funds are distributed fairly among our members, so that they can develop the sport in their respective areas.”
Gwesela also believes that national teams should be fully funded by corporate sponsors. He plans to create a robust engagement policy with these stakeholders to ensure that Zifa receives the necessary funding.
Gwesela is committed to women’s football development, proposing that courses for women be absolutely free. He also wants to champion youth development in football, believing that youth football is the foundation of the sport.
In addition, Gwesela plans to commercialise Zifa’s products to ensure sustainability, supplementing its own funds through commercialisation rather than relying solely on grants.
Gwesela’s qualifications make him a strong candidate for the Zifa board.
He holds a Master of Science in Media and Society Studies, a Postgraduate Diploma in Media and Society Studies and a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Administration.
He also has diplomas in Personnel Management, Football Management and Management of Olympic Sport Organisations.
Gwesela’s experience in football administration is impressive, having worked as a Caf General Co-ordinator, a Cosafa General Co-ordinator and a Zifa Administration Instructor. He has also held various positions within Zifa, including Chief Operations Officer, Communications and Competitions Manager and Acting CEO.
With his wealth of experience and qualifications, Gwesela is confident that he has what it takes to contribute to the success of Zifa.
The elections are scheduled for January 25.
Gwesela will face competition from several other candidates for the Zifa board member post, including veteran administrator Chris Mtungwazi, former Warriors’ manager Sharrif Musa, Alois Bunjira, Highlanders secretary Morgen Dube, former Warriors’ coach Sunday Chidzambga, ex-Zifa Southern Region chairperson Andrew Tapela, Tizirayi Luphahla and women’s football administrator, Sibekiwe Ndlovu. — @innocentskizoe.
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