Online Reporter
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
ASPIRING ZIFA Eastern Region board member, Onismas Nyikadzino – who is a successful tobacco and poultry farmer – believes good corporate governance is key to unlocking value from the country’s football second-tier league and strongly feels he can offer that if elected into office.
ZIFA Eastern Region is going to the polls in Masvingo on December 6 to elect new committees for the men’s Eastern Region Division One League, Women’s Eastern Region Division One League, Men’s Provincial Leagues and Area Zones.
Masvingo, Mashonaland East and Manicaland provinces constitute the Eastern Region. After the late release of names of candidates who will stand for the elections on December 6, it was revealed that Simba Wisdom will square off with fellow military persona, Special Matarirano, for the chairman’s post.
Interim vice-chairman, Patient Dube, and secretary-general, Benjamin Chindima’s names were not part of the released list.
Five names on the list of those vying for the available four board members’ posts include Mollen Makumbe, Stefani Masina, Nyikadzino, Simbarashe Mandishona and Rodgers Banda.
The Women’s Football Eastern Region has only one candidate, long-serving Masvingo-based chairperson, Rosemary Muzvidziwa, while the vice-chairperson post went undeclared.
The Women’s Football Eastern Region administration has Victor Sanyangore and Winfreda Chagweda as uncontested board members.
But who is Nyikadzino?
A 42-year-old businessman with an interest in the agriculture and inputs supply chain.
At a personal level, Nyikadzino runs thriving poultry and tobacco projects.
In terms of his romance with the game of football, Nyikadzino started well back in the Northern Region as a staunch follower of Golden Kopje Mine FC.
Nyikadzino said: “I fell in love with the game of football at Golden Kopje FC to the extent that I visited all Northern Region Division One stadia while supporting that club.
“I then joined Mutare City Rovers as a supporter, and spent two years as the team’s supporters’ chairman. I manoeuvred through the structures from the time I used to help with individual awards for players – that is the player-of-the-month and man-of-the-match awards.
“I was voted as an executive member responsible for marketing, and I served for one year. I managed to mobilise many stakeholders to support the team. I was later voted vice-chairman and subsequently voted chairman after the then chairman passed on. I was appointed a board member for Mutare City Elite Sports Board of Trustees, where I am currently serving.”
He spoke of the need to promote corporate governance in regional football administration.
“Corporate governance is the system of rules, practices, and processes that a company uses to direct and control itself, ensuring accountability to all stakeholders, including shareholders, employees, customers, and the community. These are the practices that I feel regional football administration should observe. I therefore request the electoral college to vote for me to be part of this board because I believe I can add value to it. In line with that, I hope to promote accountability, transparency, and fairness. I am coming from a corporate institute, Mutare City Rovers, and I have gone through the mill. I have learnt a lot which I want to contribute to the region if voted,” he said.
