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Thandazani Zimbwa
Newly-elected Zifa board member, Brighton “PanJap” Ushendibaba, has expressed his gratitude to councillors who showed their confidence in him to become a board member in the recent elections.
Ushendibaba, a Harare businessman, football administrator and sponsor, made it amongst a field of 38 contestants, thanks to his outreach campaign where he left no stone unturned as he engaged key stakeholders of the game, demonstrating his willingness to listen if ushered into office.
“When I campaigned for office, I promised to listen and implement recommendations from the councillors. Now that I’m in office, I have to deliver as per promise and I shall undertake to engage again with councillors once we have assumed specific roles within the board.
“Let me take this opportunity to thank everyone who cast their vote to take me into office. On the same token, I shall work hard to win the confidence of those who may have had doubts about my potential. I promise to apply myself diligently for the good of the game and invite even those who did not even vote for me to disengage from the election mode and start working alongside the new board for the greatness of our game. Together, we can do a lot for our soccer,” he said.
Ushendibaba’s arrival on the board should be most welcome, particularly to underprivileged communities as he has already been assisting such communities with football equipment, for both boys and girls.
He has also been pivotal in keeping legends of the game active with numerous tournaments and workshops that help them sustain their livelihoods.
The Zifa elections, which ushered in a new leadership for the next four years, were held in Harare last Saturday and saw Nqobile Magwizi, a businessman and football benefactor, taking over as president with Kennedy Ndebele, a seasoned football administrator at Highlanders and Premier Soccer League, coming in as vice president. Former Herentals women’s soccer team captain Loveness Mukura was voted in as the female vice president.
