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Grace Chingoma
Senior Sports Reporter
THE ZIFA Restructuring Committee has begun its roll-out programme, with the independent body expected to come up with comprehensive investigations on some of the issues that were raised by the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC).
The nine-member committee that was appointed in December by the SRC is undertaking matters of a strategic nature, as outlined in their terms of reference, in line with the provisions of Section 21, 19(b), and 20 (c) of the SRC Act.
The committee’s term of office will run up to December 2022.
The SRC are hoping that ZIFA will rejoin the FIFA family before the end of the year.
It was revealed during the Sports Commission’s press briefing on Monday that the Restructuring Committee, chaired by lawyer Blessing Rugara and has vastly-experienced members from different portfolios in the corporate, banking and football system had begun its work.
The committee’s mandate is to review the game’s structures that include the ZIFA constitution.
The committee will also, among other things, ensure a forensic audit of ZIFA finances is conducted and where financial misconduct is found to have happened, they will forward the cases to the relevant authorities in the country.
During the SRC press briefing on Monday, Commissioner Karen Mutasa, expressed confidence in the independent body.
“They take this matter very seriously and they want to make sure that they do it professionally in terms of their terms of reference,” said Mutasa.
“They do it professionally, and they are engaging with the right companies, for example, for the forensic audit. They know they have got to do things . . . and the way they put it this morning (on Monday), they don’t want to just endorse some of the things that we have complained about. They will make sure that the investigations are thorough, that everything they do is within the law, they are cognisant of everything that FIFA, CAF, SRC, and the Government want, and the laws of each of these structures. They are seized with the matter, and do have time-lines,” said Mutasa.
Another commissioner, Colleen de Jong, added that work by the committee has commenced.
“The Restructuring Committee has very comprehensive terms of reference. It is fully structured. This morning (on Monday) we had an update meeting with them . . . Needless to say that everything on their agenda has time-lines, and you will no doubt be engaged by them shortly.
“Obviously, it is a very long list of matters that need to be attended to. But you just need to know that they are seized with the matter,” she said.
The committee is expected to carry its duties away from close media scrutiny, and will only update the fourth estate once they are ready.
However, the committee will carry out a stakeholder engagement process, discussing what they consider as pertinent issues and also football development with several stakeholders that include the media.
The Sports Commission chairman, Gerald Mlotshwa, maintains that the committee would have accomplished its mission if the general football populace is happy with the restructuring process.
Mlotshwa says his board is action-oriented and will serve the Zimbabwean football stakeholders’ interests.
The other committee members are leading sports expert Tommy Sithole, former Zimbabwe Olympic Committee chief executive and International Federation World Rowing development manager Anna Mguni, banker Desmund Ali, lawyer Rudo Mugandani, former SRC Matabeleland Provincial Coordinator Brian Busani Moyo, Doves Holdings General Manager Marketing Joel Gombera, former CAPS United administrator Joyce Kapota and CAPS United legend Charles “Raw Meat” Sibanda. The operations of the Committee are being funded by the SRC. And the committee’s recommendations, upon approval by the SRC will be implemented.
Some of the focal areas that are expected to be improved after consultations are junior football development, women’s football, rebranding of ZIFA as well as strategic planning and election road map.
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