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Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
PEOPLE who are claiming that the Zifa elections held over the weekend were fraudulent should forward the evidence to the government so that action is taken.
The call was made by the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Andrew Langa when asked what his ministry will do following a public outcry by the generality of football stakeholders in the country.
The elections saw incumbent Zifa president Cuthbert Dube trouncing his three challengers, Trevor Carelse-Juul, Leslie Gwindi and Nigel Munyati, to get another four-year mandate in charge of the biggest football post in the country.
Leading the calls for action to be taken is the militant Zimbabwe Soccer Supporters Association, led by Eddie Chivero, who said the elections were stolen from the people and the government must take decisive measures to correct the wrong.
“We even urge the government to stop funding national teams so that this stolen election should be revisited. We had councillors voting using their stomach instead of brains and that is not fair to our football,” said Chivero.
He said their call for the government to stop all funding for the national teams was because of the fact that Zifa always rush to central government for financial assistance but when the same government demands to see how the money was used, Zifa cry foul saying it’s state interference.
However, Minister Langa said as far as he was concerned, the elections followed all the requirements that were necessary to conduct them, starting with the putting up of an electoral committee as per Zifa’s registered constitution.
“In any election there are bound to be complaints. If there is tangible evidence of vote buying, let those with that evidence bring it to my office then we will definitely act, that is as simple as that,” said Minister Langa.
On calls by the supporters group for the government to stop funding so as to paralyse operations of the association and eventually force another election, Minister Langa was blunt saying, “We don’t take instructions from a supporters group.”
Chivero though, claimed supporters were the owners of the game and their voices must be listened to arguing that sport and football in particular must unite people not divide them like what was happening now.
“Consultations are ongoing to stage demonstrations in an effort to force all relevant bodies to realise the gravity of having this man (Dube) in charge of our football for the next four years,” said Chivero.
Online Reporter