Online Reporter
Tadious Manyepo-Sports Reporter
THE newly elected ZIFA board led by Nqobile Magwizi has chosen to talk less and act more.
Yesterday was a big day for the country’s football.
And it was long, too, as lunch had to be served at 4.30pm.
The work put in by FIFA observers and the ZIFA Electoral Committee was worth the wait in the end.
Exactly 77 councillors gathered to elect the ZIFA board since the dissolution of the Felton Kamambo-led administration on November 16, 2021.
With one of the favourites Martin Kweza opting out at the eleventh hour, Magwizi would go on to claim a landslide.
His deputies, Loveness Mukura; and Kennedy Ndebele, who resigned from his PSL CEO post last week, also claimed easy victories.
Tafadzwa Benza, Davison Muchena, Thomas Marambanyika, Alice Zeure, Kudzai Kadzombe and Brighton Ushendibaba made it to the executive ordinary member posts. And each one of them said it was now time to walk the talk.
“It’s now time to walk the talk. I am very happy to have been given the mandate to play a role in the development of football in this country at ZIFA level,” said Mukura.
“I would like to salute everyone who trusted me with their vote.
“I believe it’s time to work; not to talk so much.
“If I look around the board, I see very capable minds. I am happy to be part of this team.
“Together, I believe we will make it happen. Football will never be the same again.
“But like what I have said, we will not concentrate on talking but doing.”
Mukura is now leading a ZIFA board that has three elected women for the first time, thanks to the new ZIFA constitution that has provisions for at least one woman vice president and not less than one post in the executive ordinary committee.
“It’s a positive step and victory for this gender. I am the first female vice president for ZIFA and I am very proud.
“And to have two more women in the board surely means a lot. It’s a massive leap towards equality,” added Mukura.
“We will work productively to make Zimbabwe football better and the ultimate winner.
“I hope we will be able to do well for the country in the next four years.”
Kadzombe was ecstatic.
“We made a lot of promises when we were campaigning and it’s now time for implementation.
“I am excited to be part of this team and I hope to work well for the good of Zimbabwe football,” she said.
“We have talked about uplifting the marginalised communities like rural areas and those living with disability.
“I believe we will work positively to change their story completely.
“I am very thankful to everyone: the councillors, the supporters, the media — everyone.”
Zeure echoed the same sentiments.
