Chronicle Editor
Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
A proposal to amend the Highlanders FC constitution to make the club compliant with Fifa Club Licensing and improve Bosso’s administration is expected to top the agenda of tomorrow’s annual general meeting.
Bosso members converge at the clubhouse tomorrow morning for what will be Johnfat Sibanda’s first AGM as chairman following his election last year.
After adoption of the chairman and treasurer’s reports, Luke Mnkandla will present the board report before the club’s electoral committee officially presents the four candidates vying for the vice-chairmanship and treasurer’s posts to the members.
Fiso Siziba and Babongile Sikhonjwa are contesting for vice-chairman, while Busani Mthombeni and Xolisani Moyo are eyeing the treasurer’s portfolio.
The quartet will be given time to outline their vision to members, who will be voting next week.
A document authored by Innocent Mikazhu, has been circulating in Highlanders members’ and supporters’ groups and Chronicle Sport has it on good authority that the paper was presented at a joint meeting of the club’s executive and board.
“Highlanders FC is a big institution which continues to grow day by day.
The club has evolved over the years and the football governance systems continue to change.
It is noted that the club’s constitution was last amended in 2006.
Subsequent to that amendment, Fifa has come up with a worldwide football governance template.
“The template called Club Licensing system requires football clubs, especially those in top leagues to meet minimum governance requirements implementation.
The Club Licensing system enables football clubs to be run professionally and operate as a business.
The proposed amendments are meant to assist the club to implement the Club Licensing system and improve governance,” wrote Mikazhu.
Mikazhu suggests that Article 7.3 does away with the titles of secretary, treasurer and committee member, and replace them with committee member responsible for administration and marketing, committee member responsible for finance and committee member responsible for technical development respectively.
He proposes that the committee member responsible for administration and marketing chairs the administration and marketing standing committee, oversees the welfare of club employees, oversees implementation of the club’s marketing plan in liaison with the chief executive officer and perform all such duties as delegated by the chairperson.
Club correspondence, recording of minutes, keeping of player records, which includes renewal of contracts and player registrations as spelt out by the present constitution, must be the CEO’s responsibilities.
For the committee member responsible for finance, he suggests the duties include heading the finance committee, monitoring financial management and advising the executive on financial matters and asset management.
If his proposed amendments sail through, duties of the member for finance will also include analysing the club’s budget and financial statements prepared by the CEO and submit them to the executive for approval.
The committee member responsible for technical development would oversee basic aspects of football training and technical development, chair the technical and development committee and oversee implementation of the club’s youth development programmes.
Mikazhu also proposes amending Article 9.1 on qualifications for executive committee position to read that a prospective candidate must be a member for an uninterrupted period of at least five years, instead of the present two years, to be able to stand for election.
He wants the CEO to draw up the agenda based on proposals from the executive committee and the members.
“Any proposal that a member wishes to submit to the congress shall be sent to the general secretariat in writing, with a brief explanation, at least 30 days before the date of the congress.
“The agenda of the AGM may be altered, provided two-thirds of the members present at the congress and eligible to vote agree to such a motion.
The congress shall not make a decision on any point not included in the agenda.”
On judicial bodies, Mikazhu wants the roles of the disciplinary committee to include “dealing with cases involving discipline of members and employees of the club”.
He also wants duties of the CEO to be spelt out in the constitution.
– @ZililoR
Online Reporter