adminRay Bande Senior Sports Reporter
THE debate on the befitting Zifa president ahead of the December 5 Zifa board elections is raging on with football followers in Mutare expressing divergent opinions. Post Sport went out to the streets of Mutare to hear the views of the people in the Eastern border city on this ongoing debate. Former Buffaloes secretary Tendai Chitowa did not hesitate to castigate the notion of prioritising one’s personal riches ahead of administrative qualities in search for the next Zifa president.
Chitowa said the idea of getting someone to be the next Zifa president owing to his or her personal financial clout has been tried and failed. “I think we are all aware that Zifa is national organisation that should not be expected to be funded from an individual’s pocket. I personally do not think that is the right way to go.
“In fact, we have tried this before and we have seen that it cannot work. There is no way an individual can sustain Zifa. No. All we now need is a person with the requisite football management skills to take us from where we are.
“It is good that the councillors realised the mistake they made in giving the mandate to lead our football to Cuthbert Dube and now the onus is once again on them to redress the situation.
“We have the candidates that can help us and all we need is for the councillors to vote with their minds and not with their stomachs. I think people like Leslie Gwindi can give better solutions to the challenges we have in our football,” said Chitowa.
Dynamos die-hard fan based in Chikanga Munya ‘Pax Afro’ Majongwe was of the opinion that a combination of personal riches and sound football management background which abounds in a candidate like Trevor Carelse Juul can solve the problems at Zifa.
“I think we need someone who has a sound football management background and the individual obviously need to know the means of making money. I find those attributes in a candidate like Juul.
“I do not see any other better candidate than him among the list of those vying for the Zifa presidency. He has been there and has done considerably well, why not give him another chance? After all, the man has shown his passion to lead Zifa by making himself available each time there is a chance for him to lead Zifa,” said Majongwe.
Avid Dangamvura based CAPS United supporter Lincoln Matubu is of the opinion that a candidate with personal financial resources will help ease challenges at Zifa.
“I believe Phillip Chiyangwa is the best candidate among the ones contesting for the Zifa presidency. We are all aware that Zifa is financially insolvent and have a huge debt. Therefore, there is need with cash to help even from his personal coffers. Even the entourage from Fifa told the councillors the same thing when they were about to revoke the mandate from Dube.
“After all this only going to be for two years and I know that after two years we will all see that Chiyangwa would have saved our football, only if we give him the chance,” said Matubu. Apart from Chiyangwa, other presidential candidates are James Takavada, Trevor Carelse Juul and Leslie Gwindi had their papers accepted without any problems by the electoral committee.
In the December 5 Zifa elections, the vice-president position will be contested by three candidates Omega Sibanda and Lincoln Mutasa after the third Elkana Dube abruptly pulled out. For the other three board member posts, Wilfred Mukuna, Joseph Musariri, Lewis Uriri, Piraishe Mabhena, Musa Mandaza, Beaele Gwasira, Jackson Munyaka, Philemon Muchana, Edzai Kasinauyo and Shelton Kamambo filed their papers.
The other two posts in the seven member board are reserved for the chairperson of women’s football and the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League chairperson.
Online Reporter