adminLovemore Dube Senior Sports Editor
BULAWAYO businessman Omega Sibanda, who was on Saturday elected Zifa vice president, says there should not be any retribution in the soccer family.In an interview in the city yesterday, 48 hours after landing the second most powerful post in Zimbabwean football, Sibanda called for calm.
He received an overwhelming 38 votes to Elkanah Dube’s 20 to become Zifa second in command for the four years.
“There should be a spirit of reconciliation in soccer. Those who won and those that lost must work together to develop football in the country. People must bury the hatchet and work together, there is no use going for those you think did not vote for you,” said Sibanda.
He said Zimbabwean football could only progress if people work together.
“Those who could not make it also wanted the best for the game. They wanted to work to take it to another level, so there will be need for the nation to have common purpose if we are to succeed. We will need to sit down and engage those the association owes and find common ground,” said Sibanda.
He said reconciliation was key and that Zimbabweans needed to forget about the elections which were now a part of history.
“We need to get off the election mode and forge ahead as a nation to achieve. They (elections) are history and we have to plan how we will move forward and see how best we can achieve our set targets as Zifa and the nation.”
Sibanda added that he was impressed with Leslie Gwindi’s backers who switched allegiance to presidential poll winner Cuthbert Dube during the run-off.
Dube in the first round of voting got 24 votes, Trevor Carelse-Juul 14 and Gwindi 10. Nigel Munyati appeared to have been ditched by the clubs that nominated him as he could not get a single vote.
Sibanda said: “I like what Gwindi’s backers did. They showed maturity and tolerance by all voting for Dube after he could not make the two thirds majority in the first round of voting. We have to work together and show maturity and tolerance.”
Zimbabwean football has not been spared factional fights since 2003 when Leo Mugabe and Vincent Pamire left Zifa.
Retribution has been a key element in bringing about lack of common purpose as those in power have sought to crush dissenting voices.
Tension was high at the elections on Saturday and fears remain high drawn from past practices that those who did not go along with majority will be punished.
Sibanda said he was confident that they would win the corporate sector’s confidence back and develop the game.
Zifa is almost $6 million in the red having inherited a debt of $500,000 in 2010 though the previous administration argues that Zifa then were exposed to the tune of $6,000 which would have been covered with an imminent grant from Fifa.
Other members that made it into the Zifa board are Bernard Gwarada of Led Car Hire whom Zifa owe a substantial amount of money, Tavengwa Hara who assisted in the crafting of the new association constitution, former Warriors player, John Phiri who was part of the previous board and Fungai Chihuri who was chairman of the Eastern Region.
Online Reporter