Online Reporter
Eddie Chikamhi and Veronica Gwaze-Zimpapers Sports Hub
IT has been a hectic month of intense campaigning but the anxiety to know who will be the next Premier Soccer League chairperson will be ended at a Harare hotel this morning when the elite clubs converge for an elective assembly to choose Farai Jere’s successor.
Similarly, the Zimbabwe Women’s Soccer League will be looking to end three years of operating without a substantive leader since the departure of Barbra Chikosi, who was part of the Felton Kamambo ZIFA leadership.
A strong field of four candidates — Leonard Musariri, Dumisani Sisale, Isiah Mupfurutsa and Masimba Chihowa — will battle it for the chairmanship of the top-flight in a race in which the first over the post will be declared the winner.
It is also the first time since 2018 that both leagues are convening to choose new leaders.
Ngezi Platinum Stars chairman Musariri will be hoping that the electorate bought into call for enhanced corporate governance, build on the legacy whose platform was laid by the Jere leadership and implementation of the league’s strategic plan.
Mupfurutsa, chairman of reigning champions Simba Bhora has for much of the campaign kept his manifesto under wraps but highlighted the need to give equal chance for teams to succeed, push for stadium upgrades and bring back the crowds. FC Platinum boss Sisale’s manifesto focuses on promoting professional football through transparent governance, youth development, and strategic commercialisation.
His vision includes establishing clear policies for gender equality within the league and securing national broadcast partners to increase league visibility.
For former referee Chihowa, the Manica Diamonds chair, it is about the need to elevate junior players in the league, enhancing integrity and Fair Play and reviewing the constitution to tighten on the league’s weak areas.
Women’s League
For years, women’s football has been reeling on a downward trajectory which has seen the once highly regarded national teams now below par.
As the voters take to the ballot boxes today, to elect a new executive, it will be a defining moment for the women’s game, going forward. Women’s football has struggled to keep pace with the growing popularity of the women’s game across the continent, making this election significant. Platinum Royals chairperson Chido Chizondo will be vying for the top post where Black Rhinos Queens Ntokoziso Moyo has also thrown her name into the hat.
On their part ZIFA said the stage is set for the respective elections.
The ballot, which is set to herald a new era for both the men’s and women’s leagues, is also critical for the ZIFA board which will be fully constituted at the end of the processes today.
The PSL governors will today elect a new five-member board, which includes the chairperson, vice-chairperson, and three executive committee members.
The ZWSL will also elect a chairperson, vice-chairperson, and five board members to spearhead the growth of the women’s game.
The elected chairpersons from the two organisations will immediately take up their places in Nqobile Magwizi’s ZIFA board which was ushered into office in January this year.
Magwizi yesterday told Zimpapers Sports Hub that the ZIFA Electoral Committee, which is tasked with running the elections for the two organisations has indicated its readiness.
“The board that is responsible for managing is the ZIFA Electoral Committee. And you know this is an independent committee, which us as an executive of ZIFA have no influence upon,” said Magwizi.
“So, they are doing their work and I know the they are working on this project and I believe everything is okay. The chairperson told me that they are ready to run.
“And of course their mandate is going to be discharged tomorrow (today) and hopefully we can then fully constitute the executive committee of ZIFA with the chairperson of the PSL coming on board and the chairperson of the Zimbabwe Women’s Soccer League coming on board as well. “So, we are excited about the development because we are on this path to make sure that we grow in leaps and bounds and transform our football ecosystem in Zimbabwe.”
Magwizi said the elections represented a major step forward in the revamping of Zimbabwean football structures as the ZIFA board will be fully constituted at the end of the processes.
“It means now we have the full mandate to bring about the transformations we need to bring about. Some of the things were moving slowly because of the fact that we don’t have a full voice that is coming from PSL and the ZWPSL, which of course, are the two strongest affiliates for ZIFA and we need them to be fully functional. “When they are fully functional, what it means is that we are able to implement the changes we need to. There are things to do like with club licencing.
“There are changes that we want to implement there. But we cannot just unilaterally do those changes without participation, full participation of the PSL leadership or ZWPSL leadership.
“So, we need to bring about that transformation. There are things to do with grassroots growth. Things to do with policies on technology, policies on fitness and health, physical fitness and diet for players, policies to do with women’s football, all those things we can never fully implement them without participation of ZWPSL or the PSL,” said Magwizi.
