Online Reporter
Zimpapers Sports Hub
ZIMBABWEAN football’s uneasy calm has been rattled again, this time by a familiar name.
Journalist Hope Chizuzu, who is eyeing a post as a Northern Region Soccer League executive member, has accused the ZIFA Electoral Committee of running what he calls an ‘illegal election process.’
He claims the body have violated the association’s constitution and overstepped their mandate.
Chizuzu has written to the ZIFA Secretary-General and the Sports and Recreation Commission demanding that the entire election process be stopped.
He says the ZIFA Electoral Committee have “no legal right” to run the ongoing polls and have imposed themselves on members without any authority from Congress.
“The Electoral Committee, without legal authority to so act, is imposing itself on members of ZIFA without expressly satisfying itself if the member statutes stipulate the need for it to do so,” wrote Chizuzu.
“The committee does not have the mandate to come up with the alleged roadmap, which has triggered this electoral process, as the conduct of elections for members of ZIFA is an exclusive preserve of the member concerned.”
Chizuzu argues that ZIFA’s own Electoral Code only allows the committee to handle elections for the executive committee and independent commissions.
“The issue of elections is done as per resolution of Congress, it being the supreme and constitutional authority on all ZIFA issues,” he said.
“There is no resolution made at the last Congress in March 2025 to the effect that elections for members of ZIFA be done as is being alleged herein.”
He also questions why the same assembly that elected current executives is now being dragged back to the polls before their term expire.
“Which assembly elected the Exco? When? And when did they lose their life to warrant this election in terms of the Constitution?” he asked.
“The very same assembly which elected the current executive in office is now being subjected to elections, in violation of the ZIFA statutes.”
ZIFA secretary-general, Yvonne Manwa, confirmed receiving Chizuzu’s letter.
“I received Chizuzu’s letter and I forwarded it to the electoral committee dealing with the elections,” Manwa said.
“It’s not really my purview, so I stand guided by the electoral committee. I will only be able to comment after the response from the electoral committee.”
Chizuzu also copied his complaint to the Sports and Recreation Commission, urging the government regulator to intervene before “further damage is done.” “Your attention to the matter is critical in terms of compliance and legality or lack thereof,” he wrote. He said he filed his nomination papers by the October 21 deadline but later realised the whole process might be unlawful.
Mathew Masinge