Chronicle Editor
Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
Zifa councillors are proceeding with their scheduled extraordinary general meeting in Harare today, saying the Fifa email sent to suspended chief executive officer Joseph Mamutse does not stop their mandate.
Today’s meeting, dubbed as the D-day towards restoring order to Zimbabwean football is expected to draw at least 40 councillors.
Martin Kweza, spokesperson for the councillors said they will proceed with the meeting, adding that the Fifa communication to Mamutse doesn’t bar them from holding their meeting.
“The contents therein are noted. Firstly, we note that the email constitutes a departure from the norm in that it is not on the official Fifa letterhead for authentication.
“We further note that it’s addressed to Sirs and we take this to refer to Messrs Kamambo and Mamutse and no one else in particular, in pursuant to their previous discussions (with Fifa) notwithstanding bail conditions being faced by Mr Kamambo.
“The letter does not in any way opine that the scheduled EGM be cancelled, neither does it declare the EGM unlawful. It reiterates the conditions for reinstatement to Fifa, which are already in the public domain and largely a matter between Fifa and the Government through Sport and Recreation Commission.
“Apart from that we will not speculate on reasons, why then the said email would have been shared with the generality of all stakeholders, as this seems to be a private discussion between the parties. As such, the EGM is proceeding as advised. The said EGM is convened in accordance with the Zifa constitution. The Zifa assembly remain the supreme authority in as far as Zifa issues are concerned,” said Kweza.
He said they will engage with Fifa at the appropriate time so as to ensure that a common ground is attained between the parties.
The meeting comes four months after Fifa stopped the extraordinary general meeting that the councillors had lined up, having woken up from their slumber to claim responsibility and drew up a litany of charges that could lead to revocation of the mandate of the suspended national association’s executive committee.
The suspended Zifa board of president Felton Kamambo, Phillemon Machana, Bryton Malandule, Farai Jere, Barbara Chikosi, Sugar Chagonda and Stanley Chapeta has been invited to attend the meeting and answer to charges levelled against them.
Charges include failure to call for an AGM, subsequent failure to appoint Zifa electoral committee, diverting of Covid-19 funds for other uses other than as was agreed at the AGM.
The AGM had resolved that the Covid-19 funds would be used specifically to help with the resumption of football by paying for Covid-19 tests and referees fees.
The councillors are deeply concerned with the manner in which the board handled charges of sexual allegation levelled against a board member, accusing it of protecting a board member instead of football.
There are allegations of match fixing and usurping powers of the congress in setting up Rural leagues without councillors’ knowledge as well as distributing football equipment ought to have been distributed to Zifa bona fide members.
Coming at a time when the country is under Fifa suspension, some councillors feel this is the time to restore Zimbabwe’s football. -@ZililoR
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