Accusations fly as Zifa Midlands election race hots up

Midlands Sports Correspondent
The longest serving Zifa councillor and Midlands chairman Austin Brian Chishanga will lock horns with outgoing treasurer Solomon Nyathi in the race to lead the province for the next four years.Zifa provincial elections are set for Sunday.

Chishanga is a former Zifa Mashonaland West chairman who was in office from 1994 to 1998.  He assumed the Midlands chairmanship in 2002.

The provincial Zifa boss promised to bring on board a sponsor if he is elected into office. He has not fared well in that regard before.
He said he would ensure that there is sound corporate governance in the provincial football structures.

“If the provinces show the same confidence in me as they have done in the past years then the two Zifa Midlands leagues will be the first in the country to be branded as we have secured sponsorship from an ICT company whose identity will be unveiled after the elections.

“As we speak Zifa Midlands is the only province to have held its annual general meeting and to have presented its accounts which shows sound corporate governance on our part. On football matters we want to maintain our tradition of having clubs which start from our Division Two leagues like FC Platinum and Hardbody who go all the way to play in the Premiership,” Chishanga said.

His rival Nyathi chose to play his cards close to his chest saying he is still finalising his manifesto.
“I have a lot to offer in football but my team is still finalising our manifesto and as soon as that is done we will come back to you,” he said.
George Sibangani who is the outgoing vice-chairman retained his seat unopposed while secretary Pervious Mathe will battle it out with Eddie Murigwa who was the fixtures secretary while long-serving football administrator Godknows Mudzingwa will have to shrug off the challenge of ZPC Munyati chairman, Farai Ngulube for the position of board member development.

However, Murigwa and Mudzingwa have accused Chishanga of trying to scuttle their chances by writing to the Zifa chief executive officer, Jonathan Mashingaidze, asking him to disqualify the duo.

The move has left Chishanga unpopular with the clubs. However, a letter from Mashingaidze dated January 21 cleared the duo to contest the election.

Former Gweru United chairman Asibu Mususa and Indarama Mine chairman, Petros Phiri’s posts of treasurer and fixtures secretary respectively are secure as they are unopposed.