Chronicle Editor
Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
JOE Mujuru’s re-election as Basketball Union of Zimbabwe (BUZ) president is being contested by veteran administrator Sunny Mbofana, who attacked the electoral process as fraudulent.
Mbofana has in the weeks prior to the elective annual general meeting been a fiery critic of the Mujuru-led executive, accusing it of manipulating the voters’ role and tampering with the constitution to favour their preferred officials.
The situation reached boiling point at the AGM on at Mtshabezi High School in Matabeleland South, on Saturday when delegates from Mashonaland Central were barred from voting, with officials saying the provincial structure was not in regular standing.
Tempers flared, with Harare Province fiercely opposing the ban as a way of manipulating the vote.
The matter was placed before the AGM, which voted to ban Mashonaland Central Province from voting.
“The whole process was shambolic.
They started off by disqualifying a province deemed hostile to the establishment.
A province that has paid its affiliation fees and they had all receipts to prove it,” said Mbofana.
“Next was a process that had no minutes from previous meetings.
No audited financials, and the so called financial statement was only made available a day or so before the AGM in violation of the BUZ constitution, which stipulates they be availed at least 30 days prior.
Other reports were only read in the meeting; reports so hollow, with nothing of value over their four-year term.
“The discussion in the meeting was just so poor, with provinces rushing to adopt reports without ventilating them.
You cannot rule out vote buying in some incidences. My worry is that with this very poor approach, no serious sponsor will come on board and the game is doomed.”
Mbofana contested and lost the secretary general post to Charmaine Chamboko.
Mujuru, however, said the electoral process was above board.
“The Mashonaland Central issue was just a matter of members being in good standing with BUZ. For a member to be in good standing there are pillars that we look at.
A member must have held their AGM on the expected times and correctly.
They must also be taking part in activities.
And Mashonaland Central was not in good standing,” said Mujuru.
Charity Nyamayedenga, who observed the poll for the Sports and Recreation Commission, felt the election had been done in a fair manner.
In the election for president, the first round of voting saw Mujuru and David Pick tied on five votes, while the other candidate Allen Mavhunga got one vote.
Mujuru then clinched six votes in the tie breaker, while Pick got five.
Pick was later appointed first vice-president of BUZ.
Chamboko got five votes for secretary-general, with her challengers Mbofana and Sikhumbuzo Ndlovu getting three votes each.
Tonderai Shasha was elected the Technical Commission president and the Competitions Commission post went to Gideon Chikopa.
Taurai Chitsinde retained his position as head of the Athletes’ Commission and the Women and Youth Commission will be led by Jacqueline Chironga.
– @innocentskizoe
Online Reporter