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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
SHOCK details have emerged that suspended Zifa technical director Takaendesa Jongwe claimed that Zifa’s top two men were planning to manipulate the outcome of the two-legged Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers between Zimbabwe and Swaziland.
Jongwe was one of the whistleblowers in the match-fixing scandal that surfaced in the run-up to the first tie in Mbabane.
Sources told Chronicle Sport that Jongwe, on the advice of another Zifa employee, reported to the state’s security agents that Zifa president Philip Chiyangwa and his deputy Omega Sibanda were planning to fix the outcome of the match in favour of Swaziland.
Unbeknown to Jongwe, Zifa had already received intelligence information that actual plans to fix the match were already in motion and quickly sprang into action, suspending executive committee member Edzai Kasinauyo and relieving Warriors’ assistant coach Nation Dube of his duties.
Jongwe refused to confirm or deny the allegations on Wednesday and referred inquiries to either Zifa communications manager Xolisani Gwesela or general secretary Jonathan Mashingaidze.
“At the moment I can’t comment on that. Speak to either Mashingaidze or Gwesela and if they say it’s true that I was suspended because of that, it’s okay and if they say it’s not, it’s also fine,” said Jongwe.
Sources, however, said Jongwe, a close allyof Mashingaidze from their Bulawayo days, reported to the state security agents that Chiyangwa and Sibanda had set up plans to throw the game.
“He claimed that the plan was put into motion with the initial ‘sacking’ of Warriors’ coach Callisto Pasuwa. He said Chiyangwa tasked his deputy Sibanda to tell Pasuwa that he had been relieved of his duties while he (Chiyangwa) was in South Africa to meet former Warriors’ coach Ian Gorowa with a possibility of giving him the job,” said the source.
Gorowa is also one of the accused persons in the latest scandal to rock Zimbabwean football.
Pasuwa’s “sacking” was, however, not done by Sibanda, but the collective Zifa executive committee, with the Bulawayo-based businessman only reading a statement as acting Zifa president.
Chiyangwa told a press conference on Wednesday that Jongwe should tell the country why he was suspended.
Meanwhile, Mashingaidze’s five-year contract with Zifa officially ends today amid speculation that the association is still to decide on whether to re-engage or part ways with him.
Online Reporter