Chronicle Editor
Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
A Zifa extraordinary congress to revoke the mandate of one or all of the members of the Zifa executive committee has been set for January 29 in Harare.
The meeting was called by 27 Zifa delegates in terms of Article 28 of the association and will be held in line with Article 28 (2) of the Zifa constitution after the Zifa board seemed reluctant to acknowledge and act on the delegates’ request for an extraordinary congress as stated in Article 28.
In a notice to Zifa members, acting chief executive officer Xolisani Gwesela said after verifying the credentials and authenticity of members who called for the meeting, it was noted that members who appended their signatures in a letter to the Zifa secretariat were bona fide Zifa members and that since the general secretary and the Zifa executive committee members are still on suspension, they were therefore not able to meet as a board and convene the said extraordinary congress, and thus Article 28(2) of the Zifa constitution is being invoked.
“The Zifa secretariat acknowledges receipt of correspondence from some Zifa members dated 3 January 2022 and their call for an extraordinary congress in line with Article 28 of the Zifa constitution. The secretariat has verified the credentials and authenticity of members who called for the meeting. The Members who appended their signatures in a letter to the Zifa secretariat are bona fide Zifa members,” said Gwesela.
“It is noted that the Zifa executive committee as well as the general secretary are suspended by the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC), and are therefore not able to meet as a board to convene an extraordinary general congress. Please note the provisions contained in Article 28(2) of the registered Zifa constitution of 2013 which now applies and we quote: ‘If an extraordinary congress is not convened, the members who requested it may convene the congress themselves’.
“Therefore on behalf of the 27 members who make up more than one-third of the members of Zifa, the following notice and agenda is issued on their behalf. All of the Zifa executive committee members have been notified of the charges and have been requested to attend the extraordinary congress.”
He said copies of the letter to Zifa secretariat as well as the charges against the executive committee will be made available to members that do not already have them. The Zifa secretariat will deal with the usual logistics of transport, food and accommodation for members travelling from outside Harare province.
Congress agenda
1. SRC suspension of the Zifa executive board members.
2. Pending Fifa ban and its worldwide implications to Zimbabwean football.
3. Setting of Zifa annual general meeting.
4. Review of Zifa Constitution.
5. Appointment of electoral committee.
6. Affording the executive committee members an opportunity to be heard as they respond to the allegations levelled against each individual before congress reach an appropriate decision.
7. Way forward: Revocation of the mandate of one or more members of the Zifa executive committee in terms of Zifa Statutes Article 22(m).
Article 22 of the Zifa constitution deals with areas of authority for Zifa delegates and part (m) empowers the delegates to revoke the mandate of one or a number of members of a body of Zifa.
Online Reporter