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Lovemore Dube Senior Sports Editor
PATRICK Hokonya and Omega Sibanda on Saturday emerged as the two candidates for the Zifa vice presidency in a meeting of the regions held in Harare on Saturday. The four regions attended the meeting at one of Harare’s affluent suburbs near the University of Zimbabwe believed to be owned by Zifa president Cuthbert Dube.
Dube was not taking any calls yesterday.
At the same meeting all four regions – Central, Eastern, Northern and Southern endorsed Dube as their candidate for Zifa board and assembly president.
“We all agreed that Dube will be our board president candidate. We spoke in unison as candidates that he should be given another term to sort out Zimbabwe football.
“Dube said he would pick up his nomination papers towards the close of registration as doing so early could give his opponents an opportunity to decampaign him. As you are aware he has taken a lot of flake of late pertaining to companies outside football that he is involved with,” said a source.
Dube has been in the news of late about his salary believed to be close to $500,000 when allowances are factored in. He was also not spared the rod for the hefty salaries at ZBC for management at a company that was several months in salary arrears for junior staff members.
Festus Kamambo the Central Region boss confirmed attending the Harare meeting. His Southern Region counterpart Musa Mandaza who had earlier in the day said he was in Bulawayo despite sources seeing him in Harare at the time, was no longer picking up his mobile.
“You know how it is like during election time. We met and as the Central and Southern Regions we will have to finalise who we will back at the elections for the other posts. That will be done on Tuesday and there after we will come up with a position,” said Kamambo.
The Southern Region had proposed city businessman and soccer players’ agent Omega Sibanda to replace Gumede who told Chronicle in 2012 that he would not want to obliterate the good he has done in the game by seeking another term. Gumede followed that up two weeks ago in an interview with Sunday News when he said he would not seek re-election.
He is believed to be among several administrators being considered for roles in the Sport and Recreation Commission board to be named some time this year.
Hokonya who was the inaugural chairman of the Central Region emerged as the most popular name among football personalities from the Midlands and Matabeleland South.
It is alleged that the Southern Region through Mandaza had said they would not accept Hokonya as the old Southern Region’s choice for vice chairman. A condition was set that Hokonya should apologise to Mandaza and Cuthbert Dube before the men from Bulawayo could rally behind him.
It was resolved that should the young administrator who is based in Victoria Falls apologise, Sibanda would as a compromise land one of the board member positions with the support of all the regions and provinces.
There has always been an unwritten rule in local football that the Midlands and Matabeleland provinces (old Southern Region) should provide the vice president.
This has been the issue from Independence with people like the late Douglas Mkwananzi, Tendai Madzorera, Vincent Pamire, Roger Muhlwa and Gumede having held the post on that score.
Going by that the region looks set to be represented by at least two veteran soccer personalities who have served at both club and national level in the past.
Sibanda has been in a number of Zifa fundraising committees, Highlanders executive and heads the player agents body.
Hokonya on the other end is a former Zifa board member and Zimbabwe Saints secretary.
Kamambo said it was important that the two regions resolve the issue to balance off the act.
“It was agreed that we resolve the issue to balance off as we cannot have Harare running the whole show,” said Kamambo.
Asked whether the four regions would give other names in the Zifa presidential race an audience similar to the one held in Harare on Saturday, Kamambo said for the game’s sake they would have to.
Leslie Gwindi, Rafik Khan and Farai Jere’s names have been mentioned in the past as likely candidates to run for Zifa’s hottest office.
“This is election time everyone who is contesting should be given an audience to sell his manifesto. I think we would as the regions be available for those meetings all in the name of protecting the integrity of the game and that of ourselves,” said the Central Region boss.
He said the $200 allowances they received should not be perceived as vote buying.
“We took those as our normal sitting allowances. That is what we get in the regions after our meetings. We would not be so cheap as to sell the game for that little, even $5,000 or any amount would not be worth soiling one’s name for. There is life outside football,’ said Kamambo.
Online Reporter