Online Reporter
Lovemore Dube, Zimpapers Sports Hub
WITH elections for the Zifa national executive, Premier Soccer League, and Women’s League now complete, the national football association has turned its attention to the remaining structures still operating on extended terms.
Zifa president Nqobile Magwizi and his executive were voted into office on January 25, while the PSL and Women’s League polls followed mid-year. That left the regional, provincial, Area Zones, beach soccer, and five-a-side bodies in limbo.
Last October’s annual general meeting appeared to give those bodies a lifeline, allowing them to stay in office beyond their terms. But what remained unclear was the duration of that extension and how it would eventually end.
Yesterday, in a decisive turn, the Zifa Electoral Committee announced a roadmap that will bring legitimacy to all subordinate bodies, days after urging members to regularise their standing with the motherbody.
“The Zifa Electoral Committee wishes to inform all football stakeholders and the public that preparations for the 2025 Zifa members elections are now officially underway,” read part of the statement sent to stakeholders.
The committee said the roadmap followed a directive from Fifa and was consistent with the Zifa Statutes adopted at the October 2024 general meeting, the same meeting that cleared the way for Magwizi’s election.
That meeting was attended by councillors whose mandates had technically expired in 2023, the year the Lincoln Mutasa-led Normalisation Committee was still running local football.
The Electoral Committee noted that the October gathering resolved that all Zifa organs must be reconstituted through democratic elections.
For nearly 10 months, the new executive had remained silent on the issue, and with another general meeting due at the end of this month, tension had begun to simmer.
Among the points of discontent from Zifa Assembly members was the continued stay of national team coach Michael Nees, whose poor run has become a sore point.
According to the Electoral Committee, “The elections, guided by Article 12 paragraph 1 of the Zifa Statutes, will cover executive committees for Men’s Regional Division One Leagues, Women’s Regional Division One Leagues, Men’s Provincial Leagues, Beach Soccer Football Association, Futsal Football Association and Area Zones.
The decision to proceed with the elections arises from the need to fully comply with both the Zifa Statutes and Fifa’s guidance, ensuring that football administration in Zimbabwe remains transparent, accountable, and representative of all its members.”
For local football, this move could mark the end of a long era for some assembly members who have served since the days of Vincent Pamire, Rafik Khan, Wellington Nyatanga, Cuthbert Dube, Phillip Chiyangwa, Felton Kamambo and now Magwizi. Their influence, however, has often been felt more during election cycles than in the day-to-day development of their constituencies.
All four regional leagues are being run by co-opted members after vacancies arose for various reasons.
According to the roadmap, nominations close on October 21. Candidates will be notified by October 29, while November 6 is the final day to submit any missing documents.
The first round of decisions will be released on November 7, with appeals running from November 8 to 15. The final list of candidates will be published on November 22. Elections will be held between December 6 and 15, 2025, spread over two weekends across the regions.
The roadmap was signed off by Electoral Committee chairman Moses Chigudu and circulated to all stakeholders yesterday.
Affected Zifa Bodies:
Area Zones
Beach Soccer
Futsal
Provincial Leagues
Women’s Regional Leagues
Men’s Regional Leagues
