Online Reporter
Zimpapers Sports Hub
THE new ZIFA leadership are having little time to relax in their quest to revive the fractured domestic football structures.
Association president Nqobile Magwizi and his executive committee will this afternoon complete an induction workshop conducted by officials from world football governing body FIFA.
But there is no weekend to talk about for Magwizi and his lieutenants.
Hours after ending the FIFA induction workshop, the ZIFA executives will embark on countrywide marathon stakeholder engagements with their affiliate regions.
They will start off with an indaba with the Northern Region members this afternoon.
ZIFA chief executive officer Yvonne Manwa said the board members would also travel to Gweru and Bulawayo to meet with the Central and Southern Regions.
They will then wind off their sojourn with a date with the Eastern Region councillors in Masvingo.
“The Zimbabwe Football Association wishes to inform you that the ZIFA Executive Committee will be conducting a members’ engagement session in all four regions.
“We cordially invite all members to attend the meetings within their respective regions.
“All members are encouraged to present their own strategies during the meetings.
“A template for the presentations will be shared in advance. Additionally, members requiring accommodation are requested to inform us promptly,” said Manwa.
After meeting with the Northern Region this after the ZIFA leadership will make their next stop in Gweru tomorrow to meet the Central Region in a before they proceed to Bulawayo where they have scheduled a meeting in the morning starting at 8:30am on Sunday.
Later in the evening they are expected to meet the Eastern Region in Masvingo.
The engagements are meant to put the new leadership and the various affiliates on the same page as they begin a four-year mandate to restore the national game after years of disintegration.
Magwizi and his team have been impressed with their engagement with FIFA who dispatched the head of their Southern Africa office and ex-Botswana Football Association president David Fani.
Fani has been in the company experienced FIFA consultant Stewart Regan, a former Scottish Football Association chief executive. Other key FIFA officials also joined the workshop virtually from their base in Switzerland.
The other members of the new ZIFA board are the two vice-presidents Kennedy Ndebele and Loveness Mukura, board members Kudzai Kadzombe, Alice Zeure, Tafadzwa Benza, Thomas Marambanyika, Brighton Ushendibaba and Davison Muchena.
Two more members are set to come from the Premier Soccer League and the Zimbabwe Women’s Football League. Unfortunately, these two affiliates are yet to conduct elections to choose substantive chairpersons.
The board is faced with significant challenges as ZIFA are emerging from a difficult past that was characterised by boardroom squabbles, corruption, abuse of office, sexual harassment of female referees, legacy debts, poor planning, lack of professionalism and accountability.
