Online Reporter
Eddie Chikamhi
Zimpapers Sports Hub
A DELEGATION from FIFA is expected in the country tomorrow to facilitate an induction programme that should assist the newly elected ZIFA executive committee to settle into their tasks of transforming and administering the football association.
Businessman and philanthropist Nqobile Magwizi heads an expanded ZIFA executive commonly known as the board.
It is ZIFA’s first elected board since Felton Kamambo in 2018.
The world football governing body supervised and gave the thumbs up to the elections that were conducted to mark the end of the Normalisation Committee’s tenure at the helm of the domestic football mother body.
While the board, which looks a dynamic unit comprising virtually new faces, is still trying to find their feet, FIFA have wasted no time in dispatching a team to help show them the direction especially on governance matters.
ZIFA president Magwizi said they were eagerly anticipating the visit by the FIFA officials.
“We will be receiving members from FIFA who are coming to Zimbabwe to carry out a comprehensive induction of all the executive Committee members,” said Magwizi.
“They are arriving on Sunday (tomorrow), and they will be with us the whole week. After this induction, we are also going to have some of the activities that will be happening in parallel.
“We are also going to have a strategy session after the induction, which shapes the vision, which we are hoping that once we are done with our strategy for five years, we can then come and present to SRC, of course, even for sign-off, and get us going.”
The ZIFA board has been vacant since 2022 when Felton Kamambo and his executive committee’s tenure expired.
The chaos surrounding Kamambo’s final moments in office resulted in the suspension of Zimbabwe by FIFA and the appointment of a Normalisation Committee that was led by Lincoln Mutasa.
As part of the normalisation process elections were held two weeks ago and Magwizi was an overwhelming favourite with the electoral committee following a landslide victory that saw him polling 61 out of the 72 valid votes cast.
The other members of the board that was ushered into office on January 25 are the two vice-presidents Kennedy Ndebele and Loveness Mukura; board members Kudzai Kadzombe, Alice Zeure, Tafadzwa Benza, Thomas Marambanyika, Brighton Ushendibaba and Davison Muchena.
This ZIFA board is faced with significant challenges, having inherited a difficult past characterised by boardroom squabbles, corruption, abuse of office, sexual harassment of female officials, legacy debts, poor planning, lack of professionalism and accountability.
ZIFA also endured international isolation for 18 months with FIFA lifting the suspension on July 11 2023 when the world body appointed Lincoln Mutasa’s Normalisation Committee.
Magwizi said the transition was already in progress, with the strengthening of the ZIFA structures.
“We are still getting on our feet; we’re still getting our shoes on, but we’ve begun running,” said Magwizi.
“We’ve had, I think, about four meetings. One of the first things that we’ve already done is we’ve brought in an auditor who is doing the balances for us, which is just for the transition.
“So, we went through the processes, and we’ve appointed one of the audit firms to come and assist us with the balances, the current balances from the previous administration to the new administration.
“The second thing we’ve done is that all the members of the ZIFA Executive Committee have resigned from their positions in the ZIFA structures in order to meet the requirements of corporate governance.
“They are all now purely focusing on their roles in the ZIFA Executive Committee.”
A ZIFA board meeting has been lined up for the coming days to prepare for an EGM which is set to ratify the various committees that have been set up so that the assembly can be fully constituted.
“They include the standing committees as well as the independent committees. One of the key committees that we need ratified in that EGM is the electoral committee.
“That then should oversee the elections at PSL as well as for the women and any other affiliates that require those elections to be done,” said Magwizi.
FIFA, who have since extended congratulatory messages to ZIFA through the president of the world football organisation Gianni Infantino and secretary general Mattias Grafstrom.
“I am very pleased to extend my warmest congratulations on your recent election as president of the Zimbabwe Football Association,’’ wrote Grafstrom.
“I look forward to building a strong and collaborative relationship with you and your team as we work together to promote and develop the beautiful game of football in Zimbabwe and in Africa.
“Together with the whole FIFA Team, we are here for you and remain available to help you implement your vision and through our different programmes, further strengthen the game at all levels.
“I also wish to congratulate the members of the Executive Committee elected alongside you, whose experience and commitment will play an essential role in supporting your decisions and guiding your federation’s future.”
