Online Reporter
Petros Kausiyo
Zimpapers Sports Hub
ZIFA president Nqobile Magwizi is set to be the latest leader from the domestic football association to become an executive committee member of the influential regional body COSAFA.
Five years after his predecessor Philip Chiyangwa ended his tenure as COSAFA president, Magwizi could rekindle the Zimbabwean flavour in the 14-member bloc, should he win through on May 17.
Chiyangwa was COSAFA president between December 17, 2016, and December 2021.
Although, Magwizi, who has prioritised the ZIFA reconstruction work, has opted to gun for a committee member’s post, it is having a Zimbabwean in the key policy-making executive that matters, especially against the background of the nation’s significant role in the COSAFA family.
Magwizi’s ZIFA leadership have so far charmed a cross-section of the football and business sectors in and outside Zimbabwe with the manner in which they have been transforming the national game.
ZIFA will host the 2026 COSAFA annual meeting in Harare on May 17.
It will also be an elective congress at which COSAFA will also have a new president taking over from Angolan Artur de Almeida e Silva.
Silva will be replaced by Botswana’s Oabile Tariq Babitseng, who will be deputised by Alfred Randriamanampisoa of Madagascar, with both men coming in unopposed.
According to the regional body’s website, cosafa.com, Magwizi is among the five candidates vying for the four slots reserved for executive committee members.
“COSAFA will host its Annual General Meeting in Harare, Zimbabwe, on Sunday, May 17, 2026, which will be an elective congress.
“Below is the final candidate list, as confirmed by the Electoral Committee following the completion of eligibility and integrity checks by the Governance and Compliance Committee.
“The positions of president and vice president and the reserved women’s seat are uncontested.
“The Executive Committee has 5 candidates contesting for 4 seats.
“The election will be conducted by secret ballot. The Electoral Committee will supervise the voting process in accordance with the COSAFA Electoral Code,’’ COSAFA said.
Zambian Brenda Kunda was elected unopposed for the reserved women’s seat. But there is no doubting that, apart from ZIFA hosting the COSAFA indaba, the spotlight on May 17 will fall on Magwizi as he battles to win his second football election in 16 months. The unassuming ZIFA boss faces the challenges of Lesotho’s Lijane Nthunya, Robert Shimooshili of Namibia, South African Linda Zwane and Peter Simelane of Eswatini.
COSAFA integrity test and ZIFA Code of ethics.
In passing the COSAFA integrity test, Magwizi, who has repeatedly sworn his commitment to respecting the ZIFA and FIFA code of ethics, also ended social media speculation that he had been a recipient of the gifts from Harare businessman and philanthropist Wicknell Chivayo.
There were claims that Magwizi was gifted a luxury vehicle and cash by Chivayo.
This was after Chivayo had pledged the cars and cash in the build-up to the January 2025 elections and when he had been charmed by the manner in which Magwizi has been steering the turbulent ZIFA ship to stability through his professionalism.
In his initial pledge ahead of the January 2025 ZIFA polls, Chivayo endorsed Magwizi’s candidature and promised a $200,000 Toyota Land Cruiser 300 Series, along with a US$10 million sponsorship for the association and cars for the councillors in the event he won the election.
Chivayo then offered Magwizi a 2026 Range Rover Sport D350 and an additional US$250,000 for “Warriors” football development,’ another gesture, which the ZIFA boss politely declined, citing the governance tenets that bind those in football leadership across the globe.
It however, later emerged that Magwizi had clarified that in line with the nature of his position at ZIFA and the FIFA statutes, he could not take any gifts not just from Chivayo, but from any other well-wishers.
Magwizi, also assured the ZIFA Congress in his address to the local football parliament at their recent indaba in Harare that neither he nor any member of his executive had received any gifts.
“We continue to strengthen governance within ZIFA guided by consistency, discipline and trust.
“ . . . Before I conclude, allow me to briefly address a matter that has drawn attention. There have been discussions around offers of gifts made to me, including the widely mentioned vehicles.
“I wish to state clearly that I have not accepted any personal gifts. While such gestures may reflect goodwill toward Zimbabwean football, my conduct is guided by the code of ethics that governs this office,’’ said Magwizi, of the claims that he had accepted any gifts.
With COSAFA having given the five candidates the green light to contest, the stage is now building up to the elections, which will be one of the highlights of the 2026 congress.
