mbulelo smpofu
Fungai Muderere, [email protected]
PETER Dube, one of the candidates for the Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) vice presidency, has underscored the need for visionary leadership and upholding of principles amid a myriad of challenges that have negatively impacted on the game.
The much-anticipated Zifa Executive Committee elections are expected to take place on Saturday and have attracted a lot of interest.
According to the new constitution, the Zifa Executive Committee will have 11 members, the president and two deputies, one of which should be a woman as well as eight board members, six that will be voted for, with the Premier Soccer League and the Women’s Premier Soccer League seconding a candidate each to make a total of 11 members.
Dube, a former Highlanders secretary and chairman and now a board member, will face competition from out-going Premier Soccer League (PSL) chief executive officer Kennedy Ndebele, ex-Zifa vice president Omega Sibanda, Simba Takavada and journalist, Francis Nyamutsamba.
“I want to go into that office (Zifa vice president) and work for the benefit of the game. It seems as a football family we know what needs to be done, but we don’t want to do it. I have seen some breath-taking manifestos, meaning we know the obligations that we have. Zifa has a constitution and as a leader I have to support the vision of the association and that of the president. Visionary leadership and maintaining good principles is what is needed. Violating rules, fighting each other and getting people suspended is not ideal,” said Dube.
He emphasised that “there will be a need to respect the Zifa constitution, follow rules and respect all the structures whether it’s women football, grassroots football or beach or five-a-side soccer. All the structures need all the due respect and to be given the grants they deserve. All affiliates need to grow with all the partners and stakeholders earning respect because they will tend to judge us on what we do in office.”
An experienced administrator and a former referee, Dube, was Highlanders secretary under the late Njini Moyo, winning the 1994 BP League Cup and exporting the late Adam Ndlovu, Benjamin Nkonjera and Cleopas Dlodlo to Switzerland and South Africa.
After his spell ended in 1996, Dube was to return under Roger Muhlwa in 1998-2000 winning the first of the four consecutive league championships in 1999 after engaging the late Ernest Sibanda as manager and Rahman Gumbo as coach.
In 2009, Dube was nominated together with Elkanah Dube, Mgcini Nkolomi and Justice Nicholas Mathonsi to the board of directors, but he turned down the nomination.
He became Highlanders chairman in 2012 and led Bosso to two seasons they were level on points with Dynamos only to be beaten on goal difference to the title.
Dube bounced back into the Highlanders set up as a board member in 2018 and has been a member of the finance committee and has previously been involved in sponsorship deals for the club, the first being Induna Foods and BancABC.
He was also involved in the bus facilitated by the late Tshinga Dube and President Mnangagwa and another through Nyaradzo.
Having been a supporter in the 1970s, Dube became a member of Highlanders in the early 1980s and is passionate about the game and good governance.
The new Zifa executive committee will be elected according to the 2024 Zifa Statutes and Electoral Code, which were adopted this year. —FungaiMuderere
