Zifa stalls Bosso polls

By Sikhumbuzo Moyo

ZIFA yesterday shocked Bulawayo giants Highlanders by ordering them not to hold next month’s scheduled elections at the club’s annual general meeting until the national association gives authorisation.

In a letter written by Zifa chief executive officer Joseph Mamutse to his Highlanders counterpart Nhlanhla Dube, the association said it had learnt of Bosso’s intentions to hold elections “through the media” and reminded Dube that the club was a member of Zifa and could therefore not hold elections without the association’s consent.

The letter was also copied to Zifa president Phillip Chiyangwa, vice-president Omega Sibanda, Zifa executive committee members and Bosso acting chairman Modern Ngwenya.

“The Zimbabwe Football Association has learnt through media reports that Highlanders FC will hold its elections in February 2018. Please be reminded that Highlanders FC is a member of Zifa and no elections can be held without the association’s authorisation.

We also wish to remind the club that Mr Peter Dube (Highlanders’ chairman) is still on suspension and his matter is before the congress and it is therefore improper to hold elections before the finalisation of his matter,” wrote Mamutse.

Numerous efforts to get clarity from Mamutse yesterday were fruitless, as his mobile phone continuously rang unanswered, while Chiyangwa’s mobile number was not going through.

The move has exposed cracks in the fragile Zifa executive committee, with vice-president Sibanda distancing himself from the letter, which shamefully smuggled in the non-related matter of Bosso chairman Peter Dube, whom the association suspended in November 2016.

Dube’s term as chairman would have expired at the time of Bosso’s scheduled elective AGM next month.

Besides that, Zifa’s suspension letter to Dube on November 14, 2016, stated that he had ceased to be a member of the football community globally and therefore “you must therefore forthwith cease to act, represent and associate yourself with Zifa or any of its members in any manner whatsoever.

Be advised that any misrepresentation of a purported association with Zifa will obviously attract further disciplinary action”.

It therefore boggles the mind why Zifa would want to use a man it unilaterally suspended without affording a hearing about 14 months ago as an excuse to meddle in Highlanders’ internal affairs.

In distancing himself from the order, Sibanda said: “I am not part of that (letter). I was clear from the onset that we can’t be seen to be interfering in the internal affairs of Highlanders. Maybe the best person to answer to this shocking order is the writer (Mamutse) himself.”

Highlanders’ CEO Nhlanhla Dube confirmed receiving the letter, but declined to comment, saying they were consulting their legal advisors.

The Bulawayo giants held an emergency executive meeting yesterday and inside sources told Chronicle Sport that one executive member was strangely in support of the “shocking” Zifa instruction.

However, Ngwenya rubbished reports that someone within the executive was in support of the Zifa order.

“The issue was discussed, but it’s not true that one of us supported the order. It’s just people trying to spread malicious information,” he said.

A legal fundi, who asked not to be named for professional reasons, said it was ridiculous that Zifa can “wail” about good corporate governance when it was trampling tenets of justice.

“Whoever is advising Zifa is an embarrassment to the legal fraternity. What has the internal affairs of Highlanders got to do with Zifa? With or without Peter Dube, the Highlanders’ constitution clearly says elections are due and must be held.

Their (Zifa) failure to abide by the constitution must not be cascaded to a well-run institution like Highlanders that has religiously followed its constitution since time immemorial,” said the lawyer.

Meanwhile, a circular sent to all Premier Soccer League clubs by Mamutse yesterday betrayed Zifa’s dark plans to influence the running of individual clubs by supervising elections of all office bearers.

“The Zimbabwe Football Association is in the process of organising elections for all its members and all clubs are advised that their elections will be held during the same period with all Zifa members.

“All clubs are advised that these elections will be presided over by the Zifa electoral committee and five years experience in football administration is a prerequisite for all candidates who wish to run for these elections,” wrote Mamutse. The Chronicle