By Sport Reporter
Nqobile Magwizi’s landslide victory in the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) presidential election has brought a renewed sense of hope to local football. With 61 votes out of 77, Magwizi’s mandate is clear: to take local football to the promised land. He will be supported by a team of credible individuals, including vice-presidents Loveness Mukura and Kenny Ndebele, six committee members, and representatives from the Premier Soccer League and the Women’s Soccer League.
The new ZIFA board faces a daunting task: to extricate local football from the shadows of the FIFA-installed normalization committee, which has been overseeing ZIFA for nearly two years. The board must also break with the past, where briefcase businessmen imposed themselves as kingmakers, pulling strings in the background.
Magwizi’s first task is to build a football institution with a strong corporate governance culture, where roles are clearly defined. The Warriors, Zimbabwe’s national team, have two crucial World Cup matches against Benin and Nigeria in March. However, the team’s cause is complicated by the fact that they have been playing home matches outside Zimbabwe due to the lack of CAF-certified stadiums.
The new ZIFA board must work with the government to expedite refurbishment works at the National Sports Stadium, ensuring it meets international standards. This is crucial to enhance Zimbabwe’s chances of qualifying for the World Cup finals next year.
Magwizi has promised to improve governance at ZIFA, making the association accountable to all its stakeholders. He plans to hold an all-stakeholder meeting to chart a new course for Zimbabwean football, including those who lost the election or were disqualified from running.
With the electioneering over, the football family expects results, not excuses. The new ZIFA board must demonstrate that they are committed to change, embracing corporate governance to lure corporates to football. Credit goes to the Sports and Recreation Commission for taking the bold step to suspend the previous executive, triggering reforms that led to the new leadership.
However, his election has been tainted by allegations of vote-buying, involving businessman Wicknell Chivayo, who has links to ZANU-PF. Chivayo reportedly promised to gift brand-new vehicles to ZIFA councillors who backed Magwizi, sparking concerns of undue influence and corruption.
The controversy deepened when a councillor was caught taking a photo of his ballot, allegedly as evidence to prove he had voted for Magwizi. This incident, combined with Chivayo’s lavish promises, has led many to question the integrity of the electoral process.
Critics, including Marondera Central MP Caston Matewu, have condemned Chivayo’s actions as blatant vote-buying, calling for the ZIFA ethics committee and the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) to investigate Chivayo’s financial dealings.
The election has also been marred by other incidents, including the withdrawal of presidential candidate Martin Kweza, who cited pressure from unknown individuals. The ZIFA Normalisation Committee has yet to comment on the allegations, leaving the football fraternity divided and concerned about accountability and fairness
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