Cuthbert Dube Faces Axe from ZIFA
29 January 2015
Spread the love


ZIFA boss Cuthbert Dube will be axed from his post anytime soon, it has emerged.

Government is now prepared to bear the full brunt of Fifa statues by booting Zifa president Cuthbert Dube out of office – Sports deputy minister Tabeth Kanengoni-Malinga revealed in Parliamentarians yesterday.
Dube’s administration has come under increased pressure to step down following the demise of the country’s number one sport in recent times.
Zimbabwe’s national team has failed to qualify for three successive Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals and the 2014 Fifa World Cup during Dube’s reign at 53 Livingstone Avenue.
At the same time, Zifa’s debt, which stood at $700 000 when the wealthy businessman came into office, is now at a staggering $6 million.
To worsen matters, most of the association’s property was auctioned off last year as bailiffs constantly knocked on the Zifa door at the instruction of creditors owed varying amounts.
Dube has also come under fire from his fellow board members, who have questioned the way the former Premier Services Medical Aid boss and Zifa CEO Jonathan Mashingaidze have turned the association into a two-man show.
Most of the Zifa board members, with the exception of Fungai Chihuri and John Phiri, claim they are side-lined from crucial meetings and key decisions of the federation.
The Zifa saga took centre stage in the national assembly yesterday during the ministers’ answer and question session as legislators from Zanu PF and MDC concurred that Dube should leave office.
And Kanengoni-Malinga, who lately has publicly taken a radical approach against Zifa, told the legislators that government was now “fed up” with the way Dube was running football in the country.
She said authorities were now prepared to face the full wrath of Fifa sanctions if Dube was booted out through government interference.
“We are not happy with Zifa and what is happening there,” she said. “Fifa is saying we must not interfere in football matters or we risk being suspended. Government is saying if it is suspension let us be suspended. We are going to remove the people who are ruining our football.”
She said other countries suspended by the world football governing body for removing their national federations had done the right thing as their national teams were “now performing well”, citing Nigeria as an example.
“We can be suspended by Fifa, but we would have done the right thing and we shall do that too and we are going to see changes in our football,” she said.
Kanengoni-Malinga was responding to Tapiwa Matangaidze, the Zanu PF MP for Shurungwi South, who had moved the motion calling for Dube’s ouster.
Matangaidze is a former Premier Soccer League (PSL) chairman.
“What is government’s policy on Zifa, we have some smaller countries which have qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations several times and yet we have failed to do so. We have people who have failed to run football at Zifa and what is happening?” he asked.
Matangaidze was also supported by Prince Sibanda, the MDC MP for Binga North, who wanted to know the consequences of Dube’s removal.
Dube has meanwhile steadfastly stated that he will not step down from his post, arguing that he deserves respect and appreciation for pouring his personal fortune into the game.

One Reply to “Cuthbert Dube Faces Axe from ZIFA”

Comments are closed.