Fifa stops Dube’s ploy

By Nigel Matongorere

HARARE – World football governing body Fifa has blocked a desperate attempt by under-fire Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) president Cuthbert Dube to stop Saturday’s hugely-anticipated Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM).

The Zifa Assembly is scheduled to meet at the Zifa Village this weekend with Dube and his entire board facing the axe.

In a bid to try and save his tenure, Dube and Zifa CEO Jonathan Mashingaidze had tried to stop Saturday’s meeting by claiming there is no water and electricity at the Zifa Village.

They were also claiming some of the councillors expected to attend the key meeting could not travel to Harare as they did not have financial resources.

However, the Daily News understands Fifa declined Zifa’s request and the councillors are adamant they will make their way to Zifa Village on Saturday.

“This was expected to happen because Dube knows his reign is coming to an end this Saturday,” said one councillor, who requested anonymity.

“It was just a desperate attempt by Dube and Mashingaidze to stop the meeting but they have hit a brick wall in Zurich because Fifa is refusing to budge.

“Fifa are insisting they want written submissions from the councillors who are not able to attend.

“Our only worry now is Zifa might try to forge these letters to give Fifa a reason to cancel Saturday’s meeting.”

Another Zifa councillor lamented the frantic attempts being made by Dube and his team to try and scuttle the EGM.

“What worries us is that Zifa are trying to give flimsy excuses to stop this meeting and it is really now turning into a circus,” said the councillor.

“If there is no water at the Zifa Village it is not such a huge problem because 5 000 litres are going for only $40 from water delivery companies.

“So are they telling us Zifa is so broke they could not part with such an amount to have the bowser delivered to Zifa Village?”

Efforts to get comment from Dube and Mashingaidze proved futile.

Zifa spokesperson Xolisani Gwesela was also not reachable.

Saturday’s meeting is a result of what transpired during the combined Annual General Meeting and an EGM held on July 25.

At the meeting, Zifa councillors initially wanted to revoke the mandate of Dube and his entire board but the motion was blocked by Fifa development officer for southern Africa Ashford Mamelodi.

Mamelodi told the delegates the motion was not on the agenda and it would have been unconstitutional to boot out Dube’s board.

The councillors, together with Mamelodi, agreed to set a new date for an EGM to be held on October 3 to specifically deal with the matter.

Meanwhile, the Zifa Northern Region held a meeting with its assembly yesterday to brief delegates on Saturday’s meeting.

All the affiliates present at the meeting agreed and endorsed their executive to vote in favour of revoking the Zifa board’s mandate at Saturday’s EGM. Daily News