Chronicle Editor
Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
The suspended Zifa president Felton Kamambo has made a dramatic turn around from his earlier position of refusing to call for an extraordinary congress following a request by 27 delegates this week.
In his message to the delegates Kamambo had even threatened those behind the move saying his office as the president as well as the entire executive committee, had not sanctioned the congress.
However, early yesterday, the Zifa executive committee released a statement accusing acting chief executive officer and spokesperson Xolisani Gwesela of usurping the powers of the executive by inviting delegates to the extraordinary congress which has now been slated for January 29.
The suspended board said the congress is therefore a legal nullity and those attending will do so at their own risk.
“The Zifa Executive Committee would like to inform the family of football in Zimbabwe that the purported invitation by Mr Xolisani Gwesela to Zifa Congress Delegates to attend Zifa Extraordinary Congress set for 29 January 2022 is null and void and contrary to the Association’s constitution.
The ZIFA Board remains committed to implement all football programmes in strict adherence to the current Zifa constitution including how EGMs are convened and conducted.
It is critically important that any EGM must be approved or convened by the Zifa Executive Committee according to Section 28 of the Zifa constitution. Such powers are only transferable from the Board if the Board fails to conduct the said EGM within 90 working days from the date of a bonafide legitimate request.
“At the moment the 90 working days have not lapsed so as to suggest that the Board has failed to convene the purported meeting and in fact the Board still awaits confirmation and verification of the authenticity of such a request through a letter to the 27 delegates that was sent by the substantive Zifa General Secretary under instruction from the legitimate Zifa board,” reads the suspended board statement.
The statement is however contrary to what Kamambo wrote in his message to the delegates in which he also claimed the extraordinary congress request had no agenda to support what he called a dangerous initiative.
“I am receiving calls from several Councillors asking if as Zifa board we are aware or have sanctioned any petition to call for an Zifa EGM to discuss among many the so called impasse between Zifa and SRC.
The said councillors are saying they are being asked to sign a document without an agenda to support this dangerous initiative. Kindly note that as Zifa President and Board we are not aware and have not sanctioned any such document and its intentions.
“You are all aware that our dispute with SRC has been escalated to Fifa and Adminstrative court. Anyone signing any documentation ostensibly on the misunderstanding that it originate or has the support of the board must therefore do so at their own risk,” reads Kamambo’s message.
It has since emerged that the 27 delegates who appended their signatures are made up of 14 Premier Soccer League governors, four Northern Region representatives, their three counterparts from the Eastern Region as well as Harare, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West and Masvingo provinces. Area Zone and the National Association of Secondary school Heads (Nash) also appended their signatures.
Absent were the Southern Region, Central Region, Bulawayo, Midlands, Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Matabeleland North and South provinces as well as the National Association of Primary School Heads (Naph), Women Soccer League, Tertiary institutions, beach and futsal football.
Some of the members who did not append their signatures have delegates who are part of the 23 councillors facing suspension from the Sports and Recreation Commission on pre 2018 Zifa election bribe acceptance charges.
Online Reporter