adminRay Bande Senior Sports Reporter
THE envisaged “meet the affiliates” national tour by Zifa president, Cuthbert Dube, seems to be suffering a still birth after only one meeting was held in Harare and those scheduled for other provinces including Manicaland have been inexplicably postponed. The ZIFA boss, who is under fire from football stakeholders and Government for putting the country’s beautiful game into “disrepute”, recently launched the national “grassroots” football tour at Raylton Sports Club in Harare, but all other similar meetings that were scheduled for other provinces last weekend are yet to take place.
The Zifa president ventured on a defensive “meet the affiliates” national tour, a seemingly ill-fated public relations stunt, ahead of the October 3 explosive Emergency General Meeting in which all odds are against him. A miracle can only save him from getting the boot.
On the agenda of the EGM set for October 3 is a vote of no confidence item for Dube.
A similar coup was aborted on the organisation’s July 25 Annual General Meeting after it was noted Dube’s expulsion was not on the meeting’s agenda.
Zifa Manicaland chairman, Kuziwa Nyabeze, confirmed that they were not aware when eventually Dube will decide to visit the eastern border city.
“We are really not aware when eventually Dube will decide to visit Manicaland. We are not even aware of the venue. We were only told that they were coming last Thursday, but they failed. We are told they postponed it to this Thursday (yesterday), but still we are not sure whether they are going to make it. It appears the whole thing is not organised,” said Nyabeze.
When contacted for confirmation whether they would eventually come to Mutare this week, Zifa spokesperson, Xolisani Gwesela, said the meeting would take place this week, but failed to shed light on the venue, time and date saying he still need to confirm.
“Right now I am in Marondera and I am driving to Harare. Yes, we will be coming to Mutare this week. I can only be in a position to give you the final position when I am back in Harare around 6pm,” he said.
However, repeated efforts to get his comment around the time he promised were fruitless as his mobile phone went unanswered.
FIFA statutes prohibit government interference including unconstitutional removal of elected officials of local football associations but if the October 3 meeting agenda comes to fruition, it could be the only acceptable route to Fifa in doing away with Dube at Zifa.
Online Reporter