By Nigel Matongorere
After spending most of his energy in trying to get the green light to participate in the Zifa elections, aspiring candidate Felton Kamambo has finally unveiled his manifesto.
Kamambo was first denied the chance to run in the elections when the Zifa Electoral Committee led by Vusi Vuma threw out his nomination papers on a technicality.
The electoral committee said the former Silo United chairperson’s nomination papers did not have the three prerequisite signatures from Zifa members.
Vuma and his committee also alleged that Kamambo had been suspended from all football activities soon after his resignation from the Zifa board in March this year.
Feeling aggrieved, Kamambo approached the Zifa Appeals Committee but he did not have any joy as his appeal was also thrown out.
However, following the intervention of Fifa, Kamambo together with Gift Banda and Mlungisi Moyo were allowed to contest the polls.
Initially, the elections were supposed to be held on the 1st of this month but were eventually moved to this Sunday in order to allow these three candidates enough time to campaign.
In his manifesto accompanied by a 10-point plan, Kamambo, who will be up against the incumbent Philip Chiyangwa, promises to retain Zifa to constitutionalism as part of his first 100 days in office.
“The electoral process has been marred with wanton disregard of the Zifa constitution; in all this I remained resolute and determined to fight all electoral violations,” he said.
“I kept my focus, belief and thorough persistence following the guide and dictates of our constitution, my case and wishes of the people who have stood by me prevailed.
“Indeed we prevailed. This is the same resoluteness which I will apply myself and mind on all matters affecting our football.”
Kamambo goes on to cite his personal values as accountability, credibility, integrity, professionalism, honesty and transparency.
He believes with such principles, he will be the right candidate to lead Zimbabwean football.
“Since the last election, the current board had failed to deliver on its mandate, owing to an increasing tendency to move from the collegial function of the board to a
seemingly one-man management approach, which in the end has proved more costly,” he said.
One of Kamambo’s main aims would be to see the Zifa secretariat relocate back to the office space at 53 Livingstone Avenue in the Harare’s central business district.
Since June 2016, the Zifa secretariat has been operating from Chiyangwa’s personal office premises in Highlands.
“I shall also work towards having Zifa offices in each province built through partnerships.”
Zifa currently sits on a $7 million debt which skyrocketed during Cuthbert Dube’s reign and Kamambo believes austerity measures will help in alleviating this debt.
Kamambo also plans to make reforms and empower Zifa standing committees the mandate to run aspects of the game according to the constitution.
“My administration upon assuming office shall constitute a lean but efficient Constitution Review Committee whose mandate shall be the review of the current Zifa statutes with a view towards driving the statutory reforms programme which shall have input from Zifa congress, SRC and Fifa,” he said.
“The standing committees as stipulated in the Zifa constitution shall be operationalised with the support of Fifa and SRC.”
Kamambo also promises to hand amnesty to individuals banned or suspended by the current Zifa board since 2015 and ensure all future disciplinary hearings are conducted in line with the constitution. Dailynews
