A new dawn for Zifa, Sports Commission

Eddie Chikamhi, Senior Sports Reporter

ZIFA Normalisation Committee chairman Lincoln Mutasa feels a new era of transparency and accountability in the administration of football in Zimbabwe is on the horizon following the signing of a key Memorandum of Understanding between his association and the Sports and Recreation Commission.

The MOU is in fulfilment of one of the major conditions set by FIFA when the world football governing body lifted the suspension they had imposed on Zimbabwe.

In lifting the suspension and appointing Mutasa’s leadership, FIFA outlined six major areas they wanted to be implemented during the tenure of the Normalisation Committee.

And the drafting and signing of the MOU was the third of the recommendations which FIFA came up with.

It read in part:

” . . . to establish, with the help of FIFA, a collaboration agreement between the Ministry of Sport/the SRC and ZIFA, which will define the responsibilities and objectives of each party, including (but not exclusively) on the topic of sexual harassment”.

After months of deliberations, that agreement was signed by Sports Commission and ZIFA authorities in front of an army of journalists. The agreement is part of a raft of broader solutions aimed at eliminating the discord between the association and the country’s sport regulator especially on governance and compliance matters. It sets boundaries on the duties and responsibilities of the governing parties and, in a way addressing contentious issues to do with the often abused “third party interference”, clause in the football statutes, which was the major root of the disputes that led to the suspension of Zimbabwe from international football by FIFA in 2022.

The MOU is also a step towards the holding of the ZIFA elections that have an initial January 2025 deadline. The elections are set to usher in a new ZIFA executive committee that should take the game forward.

Both SRC chairman Gerald Mlotshwa and Mutasa were excited by the document, which spells out duties and responsibilities as well as areas of collaboration.

They believe it will usher a new era in how ZIFA relate with the government through the Sports Commission.

“We are taking a crucial step forward in our journey to revive and strengthen football administration in Zimbabwe,” said Mutasa.

“This agreement is not just a formality, it is a testament of our shared vision for a transparent, accountable and viable football administration that will restore the glory of our beloved sport.

“The journey hasn’t been easy . . . it has been marked by challenges and setbacks. But it has also been characterised by resilience, determination and unwavering belief in the potential of Zimbabwean football. The establishment of the Normalisation Committee by FIFA and the subsequent lifting of Zimbabwe’s suspension from international football were pivotal steps in this journey.

“We will continue to work diligently to align our statutes and electoral code with FIFA requirements, paving the way for a new democratically elected ZIFA board,” said Mutasa.

The MOU also has FIFA’s blessings.

According to Mlotshwa, it addresses three main areas that include good governance, measures to rid sexual harassment from domestic football and the lobbying for funding for the national teams from the national fiscus.

The document recognises the autonomy of ZIFA as well as the football association’s fundamental duty in respect of acknowledging the laws of the country and the government.

“I think the background of all this is well documented; the FIFA suspension of ZIFA, it’s lifting last year and the conditions that were set at the lifting of that suspension,” said Mlotshwa.

“The important condition was a stipulation by FIFA itself that the NC and the SRC needed to sign an MOU regarding the management of their relationship going forward. That was because FIFA itself had greatly appreciated the issues that had been raised by the SRC and the need to find a common platform between SRC and ZIFA essentially as to how they will collaborate going forward, obviously with respect for the ZIFA and FIFA constitutions as well as the laws of Zimbabwe.

“There was no great rush to have it drafted and signed, and that was deliberate. I think we needed to allow the NC to do its work to understand the issues that needed to be addressed and to ensure that those issues were captured in the MOU.

“I think as we move towards what I would call the home run in so far as the NC’s mandate is concerned, this has become the appropriate time to sign the MOU because it will not just govern the relationship between the NC and the SRC, but with the new incoming administration of ZIFA as well, going forward,” Mlotshwa said.

He remained hopeful that the MOU would set the framework for the development of an effective, efficient, and transparent working relationship among the parties. The agreement reads in part that: “The context of this MOU is anchored on establishing a relationship for collaboration among the parties which will define the responsibilities and objectives of each party.

“This MOU shall subsist for an indefinite period. It may be reviewed, amended, or terminated at any time upon agreement of both parties (in line with the provided clauses)”.

Mlotshwa said the Sports Commission are determined to see growth.

“We want to see sport thrive in this country, particularly football. And I think this MOU now serves that purpose with respect to how we move forward in ensuring that the game that we all love starts to rise from the dead.

“FIFA itself has played a big role in so far as the importance of this MOU is concerned. So, this is also endorsed by FIFA as well,” said Mlotshwa.

Below are some of the points outlining each party’s responsibilities contained in the MOU:

SRC’s Roles and Responsibilities

1. Formulate and establish policy frameworks to promote the development of sport in Zimbabwe, as established by national law.
2. Assist where necessary in the activities of ZIFA, following ZIFA invitation.

iii. Collaborate with ZIFA to decisively address the topic of sexual harassment, with ZIFA formulating a Code of Conduct to ensure the prevention of sexual harassment in football in Zimbabwe.

1. Create an environment that supports and enhances the development of ZIFA and the sport of football in Zimbabwe.
2. Endeavour to provide financial resources in order to fund some of the main ZIFA activities especially in relation to the activities of the different National Teams representing Zimbabwe in international competitions.
3. Advise the government of the needs of ZIFA.

vii. Assist ZIFA when requested in the recruitment of coaches and instructors.

viii. Provide capacity-building initiatives to ZIFA stakeholders through skills training to enhance governance, administration, and technical development related aspects.

1. Set-up, maintain, and operate establishments for accommodation of visiting sports teams or groups of persons engaged in football in Zimbabwe.
2. Provide overall and general support to ZIFA.
3. Providing, developing, and maintaining football infrastructure in Zimbabwe and making them available for the matches and activities of the different football teams representing clubs and national teams in Zimbabwe.

ZIFA’s roles and Responsibilities:

1. Execute the main objectives of ZIFA as defined in article 2 of the ZIFA Statutes.
2. To collaborate with the SRC to decisively address the topic of sexual harassment and to prevent it in football.

iii. To establish and maintain a relationship with the SRC based on collaboration and mutual respect in order to achieve the common objectives in relation to the development of football in Zimbabwe.

1. To proactively formulate policies that provide for safeguarding in football and gender inclusivity.
2. To implement a robust Media/ Public Relations Management arm to keep stakeholders informed on key issues relating to football matters.
3. To adhere to the provisions of the approved ZIFA Constitution in use from time to time.