daniel chigunwe
Grace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter
SPORTS Commission board member, Nigel Munyati, has revealed he reviewed his association with the ZIFA board because he could not stand the culture in the game where bribes are part of life in the trenches.
He insisted he was not compromised and has no axes to grind with the ZIFA board, which has been thrown out of office.
Munyati is a former board member of the association and served during Cuthbert Dube’s first term of office.
He then contested for the ZIFA presidency, in 2014, against Dube, but lost dismally.
Somehow, he didn’t even receive a single vote, from the 58 Councillors, including those who had nominated him for the position. Munyati is also the director at the famed Aces Youth Soccer Academy, which has produced the likes of Knowledge Musona and Khama Billiat, to name but just a few.
He said his concerns about bribery, being part of the national game, have been vindicated as it continues to be plagued by a number of high-profile cases.
Munyati said he was not worried about those who will try to taint his name, suggesting he was compromised as a Comissioner, given his previous links with ZIFA.
“In life, if you are going to let fear of what others might say, you will not progress,’’ he said.
“My commitment to the SRC, and football in general, is because I love the game, I love sport and I love Zimbabwe.
“What I am doing is not personal, I know that some people might feel that I have certain axes to grind, but I have always say it that even my not continuing with ZIFA was actually a vindication because I refused to bribe Councillors.
“If that is the criticism that I am going to carry, I will wear it with pride because what we are trying to do now is what I was saying that we need to clean up our football.
“But, people didn’t listen and they decided to continue doing things in a way that was not clean.’’
Munyati said it was embarrassing that football leaders were not ashamed of being shrouded in bribery storm.
“Right now, we still have cases of Chiyangwa (Philip) versus Kamambo (Felton) about bribery,’’ he said.
“Imagine how embarrassing that is to us as a nation?
“We have got two, one former and the other current president, accusing each other of bribery, and both countering each other.
“But, the issue of bribery didn’t start with these two, it has always happened.
“But, there must come a time when we say enough is enough and put a stop.
“So, I know it’s coming (personal attacks), but I am ready for it.’’
The SRC board gave a very strong hint that reforming the ZIFA Assembly was part of their exercise, before the next election, is held.
It appears the regulator are considering restructuring that body, who have become kingmakers, when it comes to electing the ZIFA board members.
Some of them have been there for ages.
“Without pre-emptying things, because that has been part of the planning in the background, those issues, are going to be dealt with, let me put it that way.
“We understand that ultimately, when you are restructuring something, you are not just restructuring a board per say, but the entire structure, that needs to be done.
“We need to clean thoroughly, and believe me, that is going to be done without saying too much,” said SRC board chairman, Gerald Mlotshwa.
Online Reporter