adminAugustine Hwata Sports Reporter
ZIFA have reduced the nominations fees for their forthcoming elections, after bowing down to some pressure from the Sports Commission, but some will feel the fees are still on the higher scale.
Yesterday, Zifa chief executive Jonathan Mashingaidze announced that the association had agreed to review the nominations fees for the elections.
This followed fierce criticism from the Sports Commission and former Premiership chairman Tapiwa Matangaidze, who is now a legislator.
Zifa have plunged into an election season, set to culminate in polls for the board members on March 26 and current president Cuthbert Dube has thrown his hat into the ring for re-election.
Making the announcement through his secretary yesterday, Mashingaidze said the Zifa electoral committee had agreed to review their fees but said they would not follow the Sports Commission’s proposal to peg the fees at the same rates used for the Zifa elections in 2010.
Mashingaidze pointed out last night that those wishing to contest for a post within the Zifa board will have to fork out US$7 500 instead of the US$10 000 that had earlier on been proposed.
At the last election, nomination for a post in the Zifa board attracted a US$500 fee.
Zifa have also slashed the nominations fees for positions in the Premier Soccer League management committee to US$3 000 from US$5 000 set last year.
At the last election, the current office bearers in the PSL paid US$400 to stand in the elections, while those intending to contest for national positions in women’s soccer league, futsal and beach football will fork out US$2 000.
Before the latest review, aspiring candidates for the women’s league were expected to pay US$2 500.
Zifa have not shifted on the fees for regional posts for both men and women as aspirants are expected to pay US$1 500.
There was some reprieve, however, for those intending to run for posts in the provinces as they are now expected to part with US$750 after US$250 was slashed.
Nominations fees for positions in the Area Zone, which had been set at US$100, have been reduced to US$50.
Last month, Sports Commission director general Charles Nhemachema advised Zifa to review their nominations fees as he pointed out that the proposed fees were “excessive, unfair, discriminatory and inconsistent with the basic tenets of democratic governance”.
Nhemachena said he understood that Zifa wanted the elections to be self-funding and ordered that they be slashed and brought to the levels of the last elections in 2010.
Online Reporter