Chronicle Editor
Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
THE Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) has ordered Zifa to immediately stop its constitutional review process.
The Commission says the review was not sanctioned and is also in direct violation of Statutory Instrument 115 of 2020 enacted during Level 2 of the national lockdown.
It has also emerged that Simon Simango shouldn’t be part of the process because he sits in Zifa’s disciplinary committee.
Simango’s appointment is in violation of Article 54, Section 4 of the Zifa constitution which states that members of the judiciary bodies may not belong to any other Zifa body at the same time.
The review committee is chaired by Kelvin Musimwa and also includes vice-chairman Stanley Chapeta, who is chairman of the Zifa Central Region, Martin Kweza, Highlanders chairman Kenneth Mhlophe, Beaullar Musara, Wilbert Simba, Gilbert Saika and Mehluli Thebe.
The whole process has also been shrouded in controversy with details emerging last week that one of the major changes the committee has been instructed to include in its review was barring politicians from running for football office in Zimbabwe.
That clause is meant to shut out people like former Zifa president Philip Chiyangwa and his deputy Omega Sibanda, who are now serving Members of Parliament.
Concerns have also been raised about composition of the committee, seven are all serving councillors with vested interests.
The constitution in use now was crafted by a four-member committee of renowned lawyers Tinofara Hove, Cosmos Mukwesha, Tim Sangarwe and Tawengwa Hara in 2012 and officially adopted the following year.
In a letter to Zifa gleaned by Chronicle Sport, the SRC said while it appreciated the need for constitutional reviews, it was important for Zifa to note that the country was still under the Covid-19 lockdown where gatherings are limited.
It said authorisation for sports gatherings must be obtained from the Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation in line with provisions of the Statutory Instrument, which Zifa did not do.
“In addition, for purposes of transparency and fairness and for the SRC to be able to fully discharge part of its statutory mandate of coordinating, controlling, developing and fostering the activities of sport and recreation, you are required to furnish beforehand all necessary resolutions, motions and other supporting documentation in respect of the proposed constitutional changes.
“SRC would like to advise that you should suspend any such constitutional review activities until the above named conditions have been met and SRC directs in writing the resumption of same,” reads the SRC letter.
Zifa communications and competitions manager Xolisani Gwesela confirmed that the process has been stopped.
“It’s true that the process has been postponed until further notice,” he said.
Londile Moyo
Online Reporter