Bulawayo City manager distances himself from petition
By Sikhumbuzo Moyo
BULAWAYO City Football Club manager Eddie Chivero has distanced himself from a petition calling for the removal from office of the Felton Kamambo led Zifa executive committee and the dissolution of the Zifa council.
The petition, penned by former Zifa Northern Region chairman Francis Zimunya, alleges a number of charges against Zifa including corruption, electoral fraud and abuse of office.
It is addressed to the Fifa secretary general Fatma Samoura, President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Minister of Youth, Sport and Recreation Kirsty Coventry and Sports and Recreation Commission board chairman Gerald Mlotshwa.
“I am not part of that. How can I advocate for the removal of office of an assembly where my chairman sits on? I can’t do that so I have advised these people not to think I will be their link in the Southern Region,” said Chivero.
The petition though is not likely going to see the light of day as Fifa can only listen to elected football officials when it comes to such matters.
“We, the undersigned in our capacity as Zimbabwe Football Association Stakeholders representing the Zifa creditors, Zifa employees, Zifa legends, former footballers, current footballers, coaches, referees, and football supporters: hereby petition for the removal /suspension of the Zifa board led by Mr. Felton Kamambo and the entire Zifa Council / Assembly and replace it with a Normalisation Committee as soon as possible in order to save the game of football from further decay and destruction.
“The reasons for the call for such action is that the current Zifa Board has engaged itself in massive corruption activities, high level of financial mismanagement and embezzlement, maladministration and electoral fraud.
“This has resulted in severe violations of the Laws of Zimbabwe, the Zifa constitution, Fifa, Caf and Cosafa statutes, thereby bringing the game and Association Football into disrepute and has tarnished the image of Zifa, the whole country of Zimbabwe and its people at large.
“The full text of the aforementioned charges and violations are contained in the attached dossier,” reads the petition.
Zimunya is not new to such controversies as he once illegally occupied Zifa offices in Harare and declared himself leader of Zimbabwean football through his shadowy Lifelong Footballers Trust of Zimbabwe.
He has on numerous occasions tried to seek office but has been soundly beaten by his competitors. The Chronicle
