Cuthbert Cornered: Zifa boss faces axe

By Phillimon Mhlanga

HARARE – At least 25 members of the ZIFA Assembly this week endorsed a proposal to convene an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM), where the beleaguered ZIFA president, Cuthbert Dube, is expected to be kicked out of the game’s leadership over bad administration, the Financial Gazette Sport reports.

According to the association’s constitution, the Assembly cannot pass a vote of no confidence on Dube or his board but can expel any member of the board.

Investigations by the Financial Gazette Sport this week revealed that the request for an EGM has since been delivered to the ZIFA president, and copied to the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Andrew Langa and Sports Commission boss, Edward Siwela.

Chief among the issues to be tabled at the meeting is the analysis of creditors and the agreed payment plans, how the troubled and bankrupt ZIFA plan to service those debts and the way forward.

“After the Minister’s statement last week, as councillors we canvassed and agreed to propose an EGM,” said a member of the ZIFA Assembly.

“In light of that we have endorsed that request. By the way the constitution requires one third of the Assembly to endorse the request and this has happened.

“We are all disheartened that ZIFA have been keeping key issues away from us and I can tell you that Dube will be fired at that meeting.”

“We have already sent this (request for an EGM) to the ZIFA president and copied Minister Langa and SRC board acting chairman.”

The ZIFA Assembly has 58 members and they only wanted 19 members to endorse the proposed meeting. Sources who spoke on condition of anonymity hinted the meeting is likely to spell doom for the ZIFA boss who had survived so many times despite a barrage of condemnation for running down the association and calls for him to step down.

They said the removal of Dube and his side-kick, chief executive officer, Jonathan Mashingaidze, would be another milestone in the history of ZIFA which has been under immerse pressure of late for their failure to manage their business, leading to escalation of debts and serious divisions within the board.

The situation has been exacerbated by FIFA’s decision last week to ban Zimbabwe from participating in the 2018 World Cup following ZIFA’s failure to honour a debt to former Warriors coach, Valinhos.

For years, Dube and Mashingaidze have been accused of running down the association and it appears the Assembly members have lost patience with the manner in which football is being administered in this country with the majority of them saying the duo’s removal from the association would bring positive change.

The ZIFA assembly members include the premier soccer league, regional leagues, provinces, National Association of Primary Heads (NAPH), National Association of Secondary Heads (NASH), women football, tertiary institutions, area zones, beach soccer and five –a – side football.

According to Article 28 of the ZIFA Constitution, an EGM meeting can be called by the executive committee (board), or if a third of the assembly decide to have such a meeting, which is the case here.

The meeting should be held three months after the request has been given.
Members shall be notified of the place, date and agenda at least 14 days before the date of an extra-ordinary congress.

Langa last week attacked the way ZIFA handled Valinhos’ issue and described the leadership as “rotten and lacking in professionalism and accountability”.

ZIFA knew of the threat but never bothered to bring it to the full board or government attention until the ban was effected.

Before the Valinhos issue came out, Langa, despite a barrage of criticism, defended ZIFA, a sharp contrast to his deputy, Tabitha Kanengoni-Malinga, who felt it was high time to clean up the mess at 53 Livingstone Avenue.

But it would now appear Langa has buckled to pressure to intervene indirectly into ZIFA affairs.

Last week, Langa, who has been accused of being “too lenient” with the ZIFA board, which has failed to develop the country’s biggest sport, met a board delegation and urged Dube to do the right thing, to resign before he is removed by force by the Assembly members.

This leaves Malianga feeling vindicated after launching a spirited effort to remove Dube from office, threatening that government could step in and dissolve ZIFA- a move which would attract FIFA sanctions as the world soccer governing body does not tolerate State interference. Financial Gazette