Carelse-Juul camp confident

TREVOR Carelse-Juul’s election agent Stanley Makombe is confident they will meet today’s deadline to submit the required information by the ZIFA Electoral Committee after his nomination forms were rejected on Saturday.

Carelse-Juul, who contested in the 2014 elections where he lost to Cuthbert Dube, was ordered to provide information proving that he has been resident in Zimbabwe for the past five years, fingerprints and a police clearance addressed to the ZIFA Electoral Committee.

Article 32(4) of the ZIFA constitution states that “the members of the executive committee shall have already been active in football administration for at least five years, must not have been previously found guilty of a criminal offence as defined under criminal law and have residency within the territory of ZIFA.”

And yesterday his agent, Makombe said they will submit their papers today.

“We want to assure the supporters for Trevor that we are going to meet the deadline to submit the requirements raised by the Electoral Committee.

“The first one has to do with his residency status in Zimbabwe. The second one is the re-submission of a police clearance.

“According to the Electoral Committee the one we submitted, it was done in South Africa, and they didn’t want something done in South Africa, they wanted something that was done in Zimbabwe.

“We should be approved,” said Makombe.

ZIFA Electoral Committee vice-chairman Tendai Madzorera yesterday said Carelse-Juul risk having his applicant form being thrown out if he fails to meet today’s deadline.

“The first thing is he didn’t have the finger prints. The police clearance was addressed to the South Africa visa section not to us, so we said we want a clear police clearance addressed to us because we are the one who requested for it.

“There was the issue of residency. Despite that he had been cleared last time, we said that he provides more information because last time it had not come to our attention that he didn’t live here. So we had to query that because it had been brought to our attention.

“Tomorrow (today) is the deadline. If by end of the day the information is not provided his applicant form will be thrown out,” said Madzorera.

Madzorera, however, said they did not encounter any other major issues with the rest of the prospective candidates during the vetting on Saturday.

“I think the other issues were small issues like somebody forgets to fill a section (on the form). Like where it says experience one would say 12 years so we said provide information on what you have been doing for those past 12 years.

“We are sitting on Friday to do the final list, whatever forms that had queries we will see then if the issues were addressed, then we draw the final list of the people that are going to election.

“Between now and Friday if there is anybody with any appeal they can appeal,” said Madzorera.

Other aspiring candidates for the presidency are businessman Philip Chiyangwa, former Dynamos secretary-general Leslie Gwindi and former Zimbabwe international defender James Takavada.

Their papers have already been accepted.

Former ZIFA vice president Omega Sibanda is vying for the vice-presidency alongside formers Dynamos chairman Lincoln Mutasa and veteran administrator Elkhana Dube.

The four board member posts there are 10 prospective candidates, including former referee Wilfred Mukuna, former Warriors player Edzai Kasinauyo, beach soccer chairperson Joseph Musariri, CAPS United board chairperson and lawyer Lewis Uriri and former Lengthens director and Harare City councillor Beadle Gwasira.

Three of the four regions’ chairpersons — Eastern Region chairperson Piraishe Mabhena, Southern Region chairperson Musa Mandaza and Central Region chairperson Felton Kamambo — have also thrown their names in the hat for the board members.

The final list of the candidates will be released on November 15.

Meanwhile, former ZIFA board member, Ben Gwarada, has revealed why he did not throw his name into the battle for the leadership of domestic football.

“After intense self introspection and consultation, I have decided not to run for the ZIFA board during this current election cycle. It’s important to give other people a chance to bring a new perspective into football administration,” said Gwarada.

“Our fight was never motivated by malice or self interest but grounded on principles, and was never against an individual but a system that we believed was destroying Zimbabwean football.

“Unfortunately, in any struggle there are bound to be casualties and we become collateral damage including members of the finance committee, resulting our banishment into the football wilderness, a price which we were prepared to pay.

“As a former board member, I have had an opportunity to meet with the aspiring ZIFA President Dr Phillip Chiyangwa to discuss his vision on Zimbabwean football. What I took away from that conversation is that he is passionate about the game and has a clear vision on how to transform Zimbabwean Football.

“Today I take a breather from the game that I love but I will return in the future at the appropriate time as I believe that there is unfinished business in which I can make a contribution.

“I also want to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the ZIFA councillors and all Zimbabweans from what ever station in life who were in the trenches with us in our fight to salvage the game of football from destruction.

“I believe that the new leadership that will emerge post December 5 will usher a new era of good governance and professionalising in the manner in which football is run in this country.

“When all is said and done it is the ordinary Zimbabwean who has a passion for the game who should emerge the winner.”

Gwarada is a co-owner former Premiership club Douglas Warriors and sits in the board of Zimbabwe Football Trust.

He is a former banker and spent 10 years at European Union Zimbabwe Delegation as accountant until 2010 when he went into private enterprise. The Herald