Chronicle Editor
Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
THE four candidates – Fiso Siziba, Babongile Sikhonjwa, Busani Mthombeni and Xolisani Moyo – vying for the Highlanders vice-chairman and treasurer’s positions were officially presented to members at Sunday’s annual general meeting.
The quartet was given two minutes each to introduce themselves to members ahead of elections set for Sunday, February 6 at the Clubhouse.
Siziba and Sikhonjwa are contesting for the vice-chairman’s post, while Mthombeni and Moyo are in the treasurer’s contest.
Below are the contestant’s addresses to Bosso members.
Fiso Siziba:
My name is Fiso Siziba, I come from Gwanda, Manama to be precise. Bathi inkunzi ikhethwa ematholeni, ngilithole leHighlanders.
I’m not new to the organisation. I’m a product of the Highlanders Gweru Chapter where we worked with many executive committees in the past as we assisted the team. I’m a trained football administrator and I’m serving football.
We’re crying that our club is signing old players in their mid-30s. I believe what is lacking is a football decision within our house.
Good people, please allow me to come with football knowledge and experience to serve the club because football is the core business of Highlanders.
Ubaba uTshinga Dube spoke with sadness about the present position of the team on the PSL log. It’s hard to believe that Highlanders is down there on the table. The coach is there, everyone else is there, we’ll help each other.
Of course, at Highlanders one cannot come in and do as they please, but now is the time that you, custodians of the club select a person who will come in and help the club achieve its desired goals.
Babongile Sikhonjwa:
Salibonani maHighlanders Amahle. I’m Babongile Sikhonjwa. Now I want to share my experience of campaigning to be the vice-chairman of Highlanders.
I’ve learnt a lot about Highlanders. I want to let you know that I’ve received lots of insults in some groups, where some people are determined to attack me, but it’s okay because that’s how you learn Highlanders.
I’m a young person, I don’t know football administration but there’s nowhere in the constitution where it says to be Highlanders vice-chairman you need to be a football administrator. If that had been included in the constitution, I wouldn’t be contesting for this position.
Even my predecessors learnt football administration within the Highlanders system. But what I bring is a constituency, a very popular constituency of many people who love me. I’ve many followers and on social media I’ve more followers than the club which is wrong.
I want to bring those followers to Highlanders. What I wish for, if we truly love Highlanders, is that at next year’s annual general meeting, we should be here with our wives or our girlfriends and our children. We must ask ourselves why they are not members.
We can’t sell Highlanders to our children or our wives? We need to take Highlanders to the people. I interact with people; I want to take Highlanders to the people.
I was very happy when I saw the Highlanders strategic plan, I looked at it and my pledge and felt they are similar. But we’re young and what we need to do is to make sure that my child, an eight-year-old Qobo loves Highlanders to bits because 20 years from now when we’re not here, who will support Highlanders?
Please vote for me, vote for Babongile Sikhonjwa. Vote for me because I’m concerned about Highlanders’ future and that future is determined by you members. We spoke about unity. Just to promote unity, there’s a guy named Dominic who does my leather products.
He gave me a hat and belt and said ‘Sikhonjwa just for having the guts to stand in front of Highlanders elders and offer to contest here’s a gift.’ I asked him to make two of each so that I give one set to Fiso so that even if you win or lose, you’ll hang it there in your house and it will be a reminder that you once contested for the Highlanders vice-chairman post. Thank you.
Busani Mthombeni:
Thank you Highlanders people, the board, executive and members. I’m Busani Mthombeni, born in Gwanda, at Zhukwe. I’m here to ask for one thing, to allow me to be your servant and serve our club.
There’s a lot of work that I’ve done in the past for the club, I was once a member of the marketing committee. I grew up at Highlanders, I know usiko lwekhaya, lezimiso zekhaya.
I worked on fundraising projects through many executives. My works speak for themselves that I’m a loyal, trustworthy person who love his club.
I humbly ask for your votes so that I’m able to serve the club as a team member, working with love and pulling together in the same direction for the good of the club.
Even when things don’t come out the way I wish for, I’ll continue working the way I’ve been doing, supporting those given the mandate to lead the club.
Xolisani Moyo:
Salibonani maHighlanders. I’m Xolisani Moyo from Mangwe District in Plumtree. I’m here to ask for your votes so that I serve you as a treasurer because I trained for this portfolio.
I’m a holder of a Bachelor of Commerce Honours Degree in Finance and I’m also an articled accountant. I’ve been a life member for Highlanders for 15 years.
I’ve been in the financial and business management field for 19 years. I’m a commercial executive at United Refineries. I worked as a management accountant for United Refineries for five years before, then I left and went to Zimplow where I worked for 14 years and served in capacities as management accountant, finance manager, commercial manager, then I became general manager for foreign operations for Zimplow in Zambia.
I then came back and rejoined United Refineries. I hope my track record in finance can help so that I become your treasurer.
We’ve been helping here at Highlanders as supporters.
We put the Clubhouse gate, now we’ve put a merchandise display at Clubhouse. All of us want to achieve the same objectives. Like Mthombeni said, even if things don’t go my way, we’ll work together. What’s important is our club not us as individuals. – @ZililoR
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