At least three contestants for the post of ZIFA president beat Thursday’s deadline to submit their papers for the powerful post of the country’s soccer governing body.
According to some ZIFA officials, Phillip Chiyangwa, Trevor Carlise and Leslie Gwindi, submitted their papers and paid the required $2,500 to the ZIFA Electoral Committee headed by former president of the Labour Court, Sello Nare.
Front runner Chiyangwa’s nearest rival, Alexander Maseko, failed to submit his papers after paying a fee of $50 to get the nomination papers.
Chiyangwa’s running mate, Omega Sibanda, who was in the previous ZIFA executive as its vice president, told VOA Studio 7 they hope to win the two posts on December 5th.
Former Highlanders vice chairman is also running for the same post. Other names are yet to be confirmed by ZIFA officials, who declined to release all names of contesting candidates.
Meanwhile, Maseko tells Studio 7 why he pulled out of the ZIFA presidential election.
It’s not yet known whether former Warriors player, Benjani Mwaruwari, filed his nomination papers for the post of ZIFA president. He was not available for comment.
The Zimbabwe football public is unanimous that Chiyangwa, the so-called king of selfies, is not the right man to lead Zimbabwean football out of the mess it finds itself in today.
Unfortunately the public does not have a vote in the matter as only the 55 members of the ZIFA Council will vote in the ZIFA presidential elections.
Chiyangwa has declared he is right candidature for the ZIFA presidency and says he believes he is the right man for the job that was left vacant following the ouster of Cuthbert Dube.
He says he wants to go into ZIFA to save the association and not to waste his time. To him, being ZIFA president is a national service.
The former Zanu PF Mashonaland West provincial chairman says as a successful businessman he can do better that former ZIFA president Cuthbert Dube whom he says was a mere PSMAS employee.
He says he is ready to ensure that the $6 million ZIFA debt is cleared and to make sure the player and ZIFA employee terms of contract are respected.
However, there are many like former Warriors coach Sunday Chidzambwa, who believes Chiyangwa is not the right man for the job.
Chidzambwa says football right now needs somebody who has been in football and has at one time administered the game not people with money.
A member of the Warriors Fan Club Josiah Munetsi says Zimbabwean football does not need rich people since football itself generates its own money.
Former Warriors captain Misheck Chidzambwa as well as football followers, Peter Mukweva and Stanford Makwiro all agreed saying as things stand right now Chiyangwa, who in the past has acquired many company and drove them into the ground, is not the right man for the game.-VOA