Siphakeme .Mnindwa
Lovemore Dube, [email protected]
ZIMBABWE football is expected to get a thumbs up in tomorrow’s elections after 22 years of turmoil that has seen suspensions being the highlight of the period.
And the onus to get the game back on its feet lies in the councillors who are expected to give the game of football the nod ahead of scandals associated with electioneering.
There are no clearcut favourites, which makes the event intriguing and anyone can steal the show.
The election brings to an end one of the most expensive campaigns ever with some candidates having sunk a fortune into their campaigns.
Barring the case taken to CAS by Walter Magaya whose High Court bid to stop the elections failed yesterday, Gift Banda and football legend Benjani Mwaruwari, a new Zifa board will be put in place tomorrow.
This will bring to an end the vacuum created by the expulsion of the Felton Kamambo board in April of 2022.
Six candidates are in the basket for the presidency and all bring different experiences to the game with Philemon Machana and Twine Phiri having been board members before.
Phiri has a distinguished career in football having owned CAPS United who won two consecutive championships in 2004 and 2005 and was at the PSL when Castle Lager, Mbada Diamonds, Pick and Pay and BancABC were involved with the game.
Machana was a member of the Kamambo executive and enjoys good relations with some of the old councillors.
Marshall Gore has been involved with the British Brigade, a force in Zimbabwean football that has drawn mixed feelings among the sport’s followers in Zimbabwe. Some feel some foreign-based players are mediocre and not better than those on the continent.
Martin Kweza, chairman of the Northern Region, the most vibrant of the four, football legend Makwinji Soma-Phiri are some of the well-known football figures chasing the presidency with Nqobile Magwizi whose corporate figure has given the game hope of a turn in fortunes, are in the race too.
Some interesting names are chasing the men’s post for vice presidency all with different successes in their football past.
Kennedy Ndebele, a championship and cup winning secretary at Highlanders and immediate past PSL chief executive officer who appears to have steadied the ship; Omega Sibanda, a former Bosso committee member whose FC Windermere shook the scene in Bulawayo producing several talented players like Milton Ncube, Atlast Musasa and Shepherd Magare, his great works as a coach and player manager; Peter Dube, who is a past PSL chairman and a league winner with Highlanders and several other pieces of silverware; Francis Nyamutsamba, a former player, club owner and Northern Region boss and the first defender to be crowned Soccer Star of the Year and national team rightback Simbarashe J Takavada want to be vice president.
Loveness Mukura leads a race in which there is Mavis Gumbo, Patience Mutumwa, Winnet Murota, Joyce Kapota for the women’s vice presidency.
For the board member roles in which six will be selected, it’s an exciting lineup of candidates drawn from a wide spectrum of the game.
Board member candidates
Gilbert Saika, Sharif Mussa Umerjee, Thomas Marambanyika, Nicholas Munyonga, Tawengwa Hara, Xolisani Gwesela, Bhekhimpilo Nyoni, Vincent Chawonza,Sween Mushonga, Lewis, Muzhara, Morden Ngwenya, Jerrymike Gumbo, Alice Zeure, Alois Bunjira, Morgen Dube, Sabelo Maposa, Edward Mutukwa, Tizirayi Luphahla ,Sibekikwe Ndlovu, Tafadzwa Benza, Cecilia Gambe, Kudzai Kadzombe, Sunday Chidzambwa, Walter Musanhu, Brighton Ushendibaba, Admore Chivero, Terence T Malunga, Harlington Shereni, Cuthbert Chitima, Norman Matemera, Beaullar Msarah
