Dube not out of woods yet

Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
CONTRARY to media reports, former Highlanders and Premier Soccer League chairman Peter Dube’s suspension has not been lifted by Zifa and he remains on the sidelines of all football activities.

According to a Zifa councillor who attended Saturday’s meeting, for a motion to be passed as a resolution, two thirds of members present have to give it the nod by voting at the request of the chairperson of the meeting, but councillors that attended the Zifa annual general meeting in Harare confirmed that a lapse in the procedure saw the meeting technically failing to lift Dube’s suspension two years on.

“Zifa Southern Region chairperson Musa Mandaza stood up and called on the Zifa council to lift Dube’s suspension since he had not been brought to any disciplinary hearing and Zifa president Phillip Chiyangwa simply said ‘noted’. There was no seconder neither was the motion put to a vote as per procedure,” said a councillor who was part of the 58 members in the meeting.

Another councillor said that technicality means Dube remains suspended and he can’t contest any football position.

“Procedurally when a motion is put forward, there has to be someone who seconds it and the chairperson asks if there is any counter proposal. If there is none, then the proposal is put to a vote and two thirds must agree with the motion, but in this case it was never done. Technically Dube remains suspended. If he was to contest for any position, the electoral committee will ask if his suspension was lifted and demand any proof to that effect, which will be in the form of minutes. Our minutes will not provide that because the process was bungled,” said another councillor.

The councillor said all other motions, including the election of Electoral and Appeals committees, were put to a vote as per the Zifa constitution for them to become resolutions of that meeting, but Dube’s matter was never voted on.

Dube was suspended in November 2016 for allegedly contravening Article 1.15 of Schedule 11 of the Zifa Rules and Regulations. He has not been afforded a hearing since that fateful day.