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Grace Chingoma-Senior Sports Reporter
IT appears the domestic ZIFA Division One football leagues and their motherbody are headed towards a collision course over the start of the National League this year.
The four regional chairpersons, who are opposed to the kick-off of the league this year, have indicated they are sticking to their guns and insisted their position on the commencement of the inaugural league has not changed.
This is inspite of the statement released by the ZIFA leadership after their board meeting last Friday which resolved that the league was ready for kick-off this season.
It has since emerged that ZIFA are employing the divide and rule tactic in their negotiations with the regional leagues.
The four regional chairpersons that wrote to ZIFA a week ago raising a number of constitutional issues are still adamant that due procedure has not been followed in enforcing the resolution.
Central Region chairperson, Patrick Hill, yesterday said they remain guided by the resolutions taken at their own congresses.
“Our position has not changed, we stand by what was discussed in our congresses,” said Hill.
The Southern Region chair, Andrew Tapela, also said nothing has changed.
“We speak as a collective and therefore cannot pronounce a position outside that framework,” he said.
Northern region chairman, Sweeney Mushonga, said all the decisions they are making as the leaders of the regions are meant to serve football.
“We stand by our communicated position, and have no further comments to make, save to say we will make the necessary engagements with all concerned parties in the best interest of our football,” said Mushonga.
Eastern Region chairperson, Davison Muchena, said it was unfortunate that there was no official communication from the association to the regions before the board made their pronouncements last Friday.
“The Exco had a meeting on Friday. We saw some unsigned document circulating on social media. Am not so sure if that’s what they discussed or if it’s some people purporting to be the Exco. The unsigned paper also said the Exco will engage stakeholder concerns in their endeavour for football development.
“We don’t have problems in football engagements nor any other form of development but at the moment we are not sure whether the engagements will come in the form of an AGM or at Regional Level or Club level, so we await further clarification.
“The AGM will probably be the best so that all other Congressmen will contribute and come up with a resolution that is constitutional. I have not discussed this with others yet so this is my personal opinion,” said Muchena.
ZIFA last month invited four clubs from each region to join the inaugural league.
The bottom four clubs that were relegated from the Premiership are also expected to join the new league.
The four regional chairpersons in turn wrote to the motherbody expressing their concern in the manner the new member was being admitted into the football structures.
The regions had requested ZIFA to defer the National League’s kick-off to next year as well as observe the constitution during the implementation stage.
The regions said their clubs had already made contractual agreements for this season with the promotion matrix in mind.
And ZIFA insist that the league is going on this year as planned.
After the executive committee meeting last Friday, ZIFA president, Gift Banda, said a consensus has been reached with some of the parties involved while consultations were ongoing with the other members.
“As per the resolution of the Exco, the association will go ahead with the National League starting in the 2023 season.
“An interim executive committee will be set up with members to be seconded from the regions,” said Banda.
Online Reporter