adminNgqwele Dube Sports Correspondent
A SECTION of Zifa councillors ditched an “extra ordinary general meeting” scheduled for yesterday despite earlier insistence they would defy a Fifa directive asking them to have their concerns addressed at an annual general meeting. Divisions have emerged within the councillors who want to oust beleaguered Zifa president Cuthbert Dube following suspensions of 14 members by the Zifa board last week. Zifa suspended those perceived to be the kingpins of an EGM held on 16 May that resolved to revoke Dube’s mandate. However, that meeting was later declared a nullity by world football governing body, Fifa who initially said Zifa should organise a combined AGM/EGM by 16 June.
However, Fifa last week gave Zifa the leeway to hold an AGM in the next two months and urged the councillors to table their concerns at the meeting where they should be discussed.
One of the councillors said the suspension of several people including vice-president Omega Sibanda and board member Bernard Gwarada coupled with the letter from Fifa has rocked their camp but they would regroup, although their boat has been rocked with divisions.
He said some councillors in Harare are reported to have approached Dube and asked for forgiveness while implicating other people as having been the masterminds of the campaign to revoke his mandate.
“Yes, we had a mood of defiance and had intended to go ahead with the meeting but divisions have emerged following the suspensions with some reportedly going back to Dube and apologising and heaping the blame on the Southern Region which they claim took the lead in trying to boot out Dube.
“People are still discussing how to proceed but we realised today’s (Saturday’s) meeting would not put us in a good stead. We do not want to meet and then make whatever decisions then tomorrow our efforts prove futile when Fifa comes in,” said the councillor, adding they would lie low for the time being.
The councillor added they might have to wait for the AGM before they table their proposal to eject Dube as the association’s head and that they have not given up in their efforts to “chart a new course for the association but they were simply going back to the drawing board”.
“We believe we need new leadership and we will not stop until we have it but we have to achieve that within the confines of the constitution. We will have to engage other councillors and convince them that removing Dube is the right thing to do.
“It is critical that we have a clear plan for the future if we are going to have any success in mobilising support to remove Cuthbert,” he said.
The councillors are pinning their hopes on the Sports and Recreation Commission to revoke the suspensions in order to boost their numbers when they head for the pending AGM, whose date is yet to be set but it would be either next month or August.
However, despite hinting at taking action, the SRC is perceived to be a toothless bulldog in the matter and the Government arm has no power to interfere with Zifa business.
SRC board chairman Edward Siwela said they had engaged Zifa through director general Charles Nhemachena and they will decide on the course of action to take once they received a report from the body’s head of secretariat.
Full list of the provisionally suspended Zifa councillors: Zifa board — Omega Sibanda (vice-president), Bernard Gwarada (board member), Northern Region — Willard Manyengavana (chairperson), Martin Kweza (vice-chairperson), Sweeny Mushonga (board member), Southern Region — Musa Mandaza (chairperson), Tumediso Ndlovu (board member), Brighton Malandule (board member), Eastern Region — Piraishe Mabhena (chairperson), Davison Muchena (board member), Central Region — Felton Kamambo (chairperson), Patrick Hill (vice chairperson), Matebeleland North, — Dennis Tshuma (chairperson), Beach Soccer — Joseph Musariri (chairperson).
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