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Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
LONG-SERVING football administrator Washington Chimhanda is the new Zifa Bulawayo Province chairman after beating incumbent Horace Ndubiwa in elections at YWCA offices in the city yesterday. Chimanda, a teacher at Josiah Chinamano Primary School in Emakhandeni, polled 15 votes to Ndubiwa’s nine and will be in office until 2018.
Former provincial chairman Francis Ntuta was elected unopposed to the position of vice-chairperson with Siphambaniso Dube, Paradzai Matuka and former Zifa Bulawayo Junior League chairman, Mkhululi Mthunzi coming in as board members.
“I would like to thank the electorate for showing confidence in me. I promise I will do my best during my tenure and with your support I think we will all succeed,” said Chimhanda in his post election address.
He said he will consult widely with his predecessor Ndubiwa.
“I will definitely go back to Ndubiwa for consultations whenever there is a need. Very soon we shall be calling a general meeting with clubs to map the way forward,” said the new Bulawayo province football boss.
Ndubiwa, the former Highlanders secretary accepted the defeat with humility and said it was now time to reflect on the way forward, following the loss.
“At the moment I have no immediate concrete plans about involvement in football but I am always available to offer any assistance for the development of football in Bulawayo and nation at large. It’s congratulations to Chimanda and wish him a successful tenure,” said Ndubiwa.
Asked about the pre-election pact between him and Chimhanda that whoever won the chairmanship would co-opt the other into the board, the losing candidate said he too had heard the news from the grapevine but there was nothing official.
The elections were supervised by Cornelious Bwanya and Tichawana Nyahuma who was the presiding officer. During the elections, an overzealous Zifa electoral committee member, Nyahuma who was the presiding officer, ordered members of the media out of the meeting despite having been cleared by the national association.
It had to take a telephone call by the association’s communications manager Xolisani Gwesela for the journalists, Chronicle Sports Editor Lovemore Dube, Senior Sports Reporter Sikhumbuzo Moyo and Southern Eye Sports Reporter Sukoluhle Mthethwa to be allowed back into the meeting.
Meanwhile, our Midlands correspondent, Tinomuda Chakanyuka reports that Brian Chishanga was retained as Zifa Midlands chairman after beating outgoing treasurer Solomon Nyathi by 12 votes to five in an election held at Chaplin High School yesterday.
The fresh mandate bestowed on Chishanga who has been at the helm since 2002 means that he will lead the provincial football structures for the next four years.
The elections were presided over by retired Labour Court president Sello Nare who commended the province for holding peaceful polls.
In his acceptance speech Chishanga pledged to continue developing the sport in the province and promised to secure sponsorship for the leagues.
“I stand by what I promised during the election campaign that is to continue churning out clubs which make it to the Premiership as well as making sure the game is developed from the grassroots level.
“I wish to assure the clubs that the two leagues will be branded during the forthcoming season which will make competition more exciting,” he said.
George Sibangani retained the vice-chairperson post unopposed. Other candidates who had, prior to the election said to be unopposed were shocked to learn that the rules and regulations governing the elections had changed in line with the Zifa Constitution where the position of secretary, treasurer, fixtures secretary had been changed to board member administration, board member finance and board member competitions respectively.
Elections for the three posts together with that of board member development were held simultaneously which saw the first four candidates who polled the highest votes being part of the administration.
Outgoing secretary Pervious Mathe was elected board member administration while Asibu Mususa who had been eyeing the treasurer’s post was voted board member responsible for finance.
Petros Phiri and Farayi Ngulube were elected board member in charge of competitions and board member development respectively.
From Matabeleland North, our correspondent Tobias Mandoreba reports that the provincial executive committee remained largely unchanged after four of the six members were retained unopposed.
Incumbent chairperson Dennis Tshuma, former fixtures secretary Ronald Mhlanga and now vice-chairperson and board members Nelson Mutasa and Prosper Neshavi all remained in office.
The new faces in the set-up are Ian Musoso and Nelson Ndeka, who replaced former vice-chairman Rangarirai Pedzisai and former treasurer Charles Mhlanga, who both pulled out due to other commitments. They also came in unopposed.
Zifa honourary member Cornelius Bwanya, who also sits in the mother body’s Electoral Committee presided over the elections to constitute a new committee at Hwange Secondary School on Saturday morning.
“In line with the constitution facilitated by Fifa with regards to such elections, I am honoured to be here today to ensure we have a new executive committee in place, and after going through all the papers submitted to us, there is a clear indication of confidence in the leadership put in place in 2010.
“I hope you will continue working hard to ensure there is football development in this part of the country which is a tourism hub of Zimbabwe,” said Bwanya.
In his remarks a visibly elated Tshuma thanked the clubs for their confidence in his committee and pledged to work hard to develop soccer.
“I am very humbled to be given another chance to be at the helm of football in Matabeleland North. I and my colleagues will work even harder as we seek to prove that this province has a lot of football talent which needs to be tapped.
“The other burning issue is of sponsorship, we will be knocking on the doors of corporate partners in Hwange and Victoria Falls to source sponsorship which will go a long way in motivating the young boys as junior development is also our main priority in this league. A company like Hwange Colliery is already doing a lot hence we feel other companies should also chip to ensure we churn out players good enough for our national team and even in leagues beyond our borders,” said Tshuma.
He said his committee would also take seriously the issue of minimum coaching requirements needed for Division Two league hence the holding of an eight-day Level Two coaching course in Hwange from February 17 facilitated by veteran administrator Gibson Homela who will be assisted by Victoria Falls-based Dumile Mpofu and former Zimbabwe Under-17 national soccer coach Weekly Mwale.
Last year the Zifa Matabeleland North Division Two league was won by Trumus FC and Kabwe Warriors being promoted into Division One while Mkhosana and one of the oldest teams in Hwange, Rufaro Rovers were relegated.
According to Tshuma, two teams Makomo Resources and Bruncos of Africa have joined the league, which is set to have an annual general meeting at the end of February. The two clubs will join Hwange-based Baobab Rovers, Rufaro, Blackrock, Iwisa, ZRP Hwange, Prison Eagles, Moto Moto, Kamandama Celtics and Brazil while the resort town of Victoria Falls will be represented by Classic Luyando, Corinthians, Zambezi Lions, Amagagasi and Mkhosana to have a total of 16 teams. New clubs will pay $600 in registration while the old teams will pay $400.
The league is expected to kick off in the first week of April.
Online Reporter