Zifa offices shut

Sports Reporter
IN an unprecedented move Zifa on Thursday closed all provincial and regional offices and transported employees to the capital.
Zifa spokesperson Xolisani Gwesela confirmed that the offices would be closed and that they had transported councillors and employees to the capital.

He said they budgeted for the expense despite reeling under heavy debts.

Two weeks ago the national association had challenges with accommodating and feeding the women’s national soccer teams and ended up feeding the girls on boiled bhobola.

Gwesela who joined the national association last year argued that it was Zifa culture to do so. Though previously it has been business as usual with elections just an event held once in a while during annual general meetings.

“It is our culture that in every annual general meeting, all workers attend as this ceremony is an integral part of the organisation. It is also the obligation of the association to fund accommodation costs for all councillors,” said Gwesela.

The Zifa spokesperson said he had read somewhere, where Zambia are alleged to be closing shop for tomorrow’s meeting. “It is our culture going forward comrade. Football Association of Zambia have an annual general meeting on Saturday. They are closing offices to attend the AGM. What’s unique about Zifa? Sure madoda, I think that’s hatred bro (brother),” said Gwesela. However a councillor who refused to be named for fear of victimisation said the idea was to starve the other candidates of information that could be gleaned from employees.

“The employees are dead scared. They have all been transported to Harare where they will stay up to Sunday. We are bleeding the association at a time when it is broke just because some people are too desperate to cling onto power,” said the source.
Some provincial chairpersons have been in Harare since Tuesday.

Cuthbert Dube is facing the challenge of Trevor Carelse-Juul, Leslie Gwindi and Nigel Munyati. The elections take place this afternoon.