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Eddie Chikamhi
Senior Sports Reporter
DYNAMOS legend Moses “Bambo” Chunga has waded into the debate around Zimbabwe’s continued ostracisation from the international football family and called for the immediate re-engagements with FIFA to end the stalemate.
Zimbabwe was suspended after FIFA invoked Article 13 of the FIFA Statutes which stripped ZIFA of all its membership rights and accompanying privileges as of February 24, 2022.
FIFA cited “third party interference” when they pulled the plug in response to the decision by the Sports and Recreation Commission to suspend the ZIFA executive committee led by Felton Kamambo on accusations of corruption, mismanagement of public funds and sexual harassment of female referees.
But one year on, the country is still in the football wilderness and Chunga believes the people in football leadership are not treating the matter with the urgency it deserves, despite the toll the suspension is taking on Zimbabwean football.
Chunga, who is a former national team player and coach, told The Herald that the Sports and Recreation Commission should finish what they started by pushing for the finalisation of the football reforms – which appear to have stalled – and reverting to the conditions laid down by FIFA for Zimbabwe’s reinstatement.
“Our football is trapped between a rock and a hard place. We have all seen the efforts to cleanse the game but we are not seeing the results, apart from this continued suspension, which is detrimental to the game itself,” said Chunga.
Due to the suspension, Zimbabwean football teams have been barred from participating in regional and international tournaments such as AFCON qualifiers, CHAN, COSAFA and the CAF inter-club competitions.
The nation has also been starved of development grants and programmes to enhance the game at all levels. Local officials have also been sidelined from development programmes, courses and training conducted by FIFA or CAF.
“As a former national team player, coach and an ambassador of the national team, I am appealing to the SRC to follow the FIFA prescription in all that they are doing and everything will fall into place. We cannot continue to be passive and pretend that things will sort themselves out on their own.
“We have to demonstrate the commitment. Our President is talking about re-engagement, it’s the government policy but why are we not doing the same in football?
“When the President is saying no one should be left behind, it’s sad that as football people we have been left behind because of the FIFA suspension. It’s been over a year now and we are not seeing how this whole thing is going to end.
“It’s painful, right now I am one of the people who are involved in training a whole generation of players whose future remains uncertain. So, I am saying let’s do this for the current and future generation of players.
“If the situation is not resolved as soon as possible, as the ambassador of the national team, I will try to seek an audience with the President’s office.
“I think the President should know how this impasse has affected footballers and the people in football. If possible, he has to assist because it looks like the people responsible for the affair have failed,” said Chunga.
Chunga said the Sports Commission should also come clean on the contentious issue of Kamambo, who has since been recalled by the ZIFA Congress via a special resolution.
“At this point let’s not hide behind a finger; while I am not disputing the fact that Kamambo was recalled by the ZIFA Congress, FIFA were also clear in saying that one of the conditions for the lifting of the suspension had to do with his reinstatement.
“So the SRC should just wash their hands in this matter and make a statement on Kamambo the same way they made a statement about his suspension in the first place, and then leave the decision of the ZIFA Congress to take effect. He is already out anyway,” said Chunga.
FIFA have given Zimbabwe conditions for reinstatement and they wrote in their letter of suspension:
“Furthermore, and without prejudice to the ongoing investigations into the allegations of sexual harassment and bribery, the FIFA Council decided that the lifting of the suspension be subject to the following conditions:
The repeal of the SRC decision of 26 November 2020 suspending the ZIFA General Secretary
The repeal of the SRC decision of 16 November 2021 suspending the ZIFA Board
The repeal of the SRC decision of 17 December 2021 setting up the restructuring committee
FIFA’s receipt of confirmation from ZIFA and its management, led by President Felton Kamambo and General Secretary Joseph Mamutse, that ZIFA and its premises are once more under their full and unconditional control
The withdrawal of the SRC’s legal complaint against the ZIFA President, three other ZIFA Board members and the General Secretary regarding alleged misuse of the ZIFA letterheads.”
So far the Sports Commission have acceded to the request that the suspension of the general-secretary Joseph Mamutse be lifted. This was done on May 24, 2022.
However, Mamutse did not return to work. He was subsequently suspended by ZIFA for his truancy. The disciplinary processes relating to this were a matter for ZIFA to process.
The Sports Commission also lifted the suspension of the ZIFA board on June 8 last year but the board returned without Kamambo and ex-board members Philemon Machana and Bryton Malandule who had been recalled by the ZIFA Congress two months back.
According to the Sports Commission chairman Gerald Mlotshwa, FIFA were advised of the outcome of the ZIFA Extraordinary Congress of April 23, 2022, and of SRC’s intentions.
FIFA stated that it would not interfere with the resolutions of congress so long as the meeting had been held in accordance with ZIFA’s constitution.
Accordingly, the SRC lifted the suspension of the members of the Executive Committee lawfully in office as at April 24, 2022, which saw Gift Banda bouncing back as interim ZIFA president.
“It is a fact that Mr Felton Kamambo is no longer the ZIFA president, having been recalled by his own congress. It follows, logically, that the SRC is not able to reinstate him to that position.
“Any such attempt would, ironically, be blatantly unlawful in terms of ZIFA’s current constitution, as well as the Sports and Recreation Commission Act.
“It is most regrettable that certain legislators continue to demand the SRC ignore the resolutions of the ZIFA Congress, violate ZIFA’s constitution, and, incredibly, its own Act, a product of the Parliament of Zimbabwe, in reinstating Mr Kamambo,” said Mlotshwa in a recent interview.
Online Reporter