adminalleged role in the Central Region match-fixing scandal.
Banda, the Zifa Southern Region chairman, was suspended on Wednesday night alongside his Central Region counterpart, Patrick Hokonya, who has also been embroiled in the same scandal. There are
now five Zifa board members who have been suspended on allegations of corruption after Solomon Mugavazi, Methembe Ndlovu and Kenny Marange were suspended for their alleged role in Asiagate.
Banda was fingered in the Central Region match-fixing scandal by former referee Cosmas Nyoni.
The Bulawayo businessman has strongly denied his involvement in the scandal and yesterday told The Herald that he would fight against his suspension.
“There are a number of things that we are looking at to challenge this suspension, which came about after a number of constitutional issues had been violated at our board meeting,” said Banda.
“There is nothing in the Zifa constitution that says the board can suspend someone pending investigations, as they said in their media statement, but one can be suspended pending a disciplinary hearing.
“Once that suspension, pending a disciplinary hearing, is effected, then you have 14 days to have the case heard. There were a lot of things that happened during our board meeting that were a clear violation of our constitution, which we are supposed to uphold, and when you have board members voting to decide the agenda of the meeting, which is not provided for by our constitution. So these are issues we are looking at with my legal team and I can assure you that I will fight until I clear my name and the first port of call is to have this suspension overturned and we will seek recourse, if need be, in the courts of law very soon.”
Banda said he was so certain, given what he believes to be a strong legal case in his favour, that his suspension would have been quashed by the time the Zifa board meets again in Harare next Wednesday.
“It’s a fight and it’s a long one and there will be setbacks here and there as we go along but I’m ready for it,” said Banda.
“I am so certain that by the time the next board meeting is held, this suspension would have been set aside and I will be able to take my seat as Southern Region chairman.
“We have a number of issues that need to be sorted out in our football and I don’t want to be watching from the sidelines when decisions are finally taken but, as I have said again and again, I’m not so cheap as to involve myself in Division One corruption.”
Online Reporter