‘Zifa needs passionate people’

Midlands Correspondent
Zifa Eastern Region chairman Piraishe Mabhena has said the country needs people with a passion for football to administer the game. Mabhena is one of the 10 candidates vying for the four board member positions that are up for grabs at the Zifa elections set for December 5. He said apart from passion, there is need for people with the administrative capacity to run the Zifa board.

“I would want to see a Zifa board that’s made up of people who are passionate about the game and those with the administrative capacity at the level that we would want. Football needs passionate people than ever right now because we’ve a huge task of reviving the game in this country,” he said.

He said he wants to see development from the grassroots structures as well as the restoration of good corporate governance structures at 53 Livingstone House, Harare, the Zifa Head office.

“Through team effort, we need to embrace 14 points that we used to revoke the board of Cuthbert Dube. This should start with transparency and accountability, unlike what’s happening now where Zifa’s operation is more like a black box where information hasn’t been flowing and if it has, it’s only to the convenience of those running Zifa.

“We should run our football in a way that allows stakeholders to come in. We also need to refocus on development where we need to develop not only the players but everyone involved in football. I believe a united board can accomplish this mission and my track record speaks for itself during my stint at Hippo Valley,” Mabhena said.

He will battle it out for the board member post with former Fifa panel referee Wilfred Mukuna, Harare-based lawyer Lewis Uriri, Joseph Musariri, Southern Region leader Musa Mandaza, Beadle Gwasira, Jackson Munyaka, Philemon Machana, former Warriors midfielder Edzai Kasinauyo and Central Region boss Felton Kamambo.