Chronicle Editor
Harare Bureau
THE Sports and Recreation Portfolio Committee has expressed disappointment with the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC), which was in a no-show in Parliament yesterday morning.
The SRC, together with the Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation officials, were scheduled to appear before the committee to give evidence on the state of football in the country.
The committee wanted to have a full understanding of the SRC ban, which was effected on the Zifa board last year, and its implications on Zimbabwe’s football should Fifa hand down a ban.
However, only the ministry’s permanent secretary Thokozile Chitepo appeared before the committee, which irked the legislators.
Chitepo informed the committee that SRC chairman Gerald Mlotshwa had travelled outside the country, while the SRC acting director-general had other work commitments.
The committee, which is chaired by Mathias Tongofa, postponed the meeting and said it was pointless to proceed with the meeting without SRC officials.
Some Members of Parliament that constitute the Sports Committee are Tatenda Mavetera, Omega Sibanda, Gift Banda, Trevor Saruwaka and Columbus Gorerino. They all took turns to express their disappointment with the SRC board.
They said it was disturbing that at a time that even President Mnangagwa was concerned about the state of football in the country, the SRC chose to snub an important platform to discuss football.
Sibanda said the SRC’s disrespect has been ongoing for some time.
“This is not the first time that the SRC chairperson has failed to come to this committee and the problems emanate from his office. We want to understand, we want clarity,” said Sibanda.
Banda said the committee’s reputation is at stake if it fails to stamp its authority.
“If we don’t put our foot down, we are going to be seen as one of the worst committees in the last five years. We need to realise what is on our shoulders.
We need to realise the mandate that is given to us in order to bring sanity to all these prevailing issues because if you realise these things have been boiling.
Now they are at a point where we see all these things that have happened. But we need to put our foot down and come up with resolutions that are going to help sport in this country, and football in particular, because football is crying out loud for us,” said Banda.
The committee rescheduled the meeting to this morning after it was later informed by Chitepo that Mlotshwa was actually not outside the country but in Bulawayo.
Online Reporter