POLICE are keen to interview 32 Zifa councillors that were
allegedly paid bribes ahead of the 2018 Zifa elections that ushered in Felton
Kamambo as Zifa president and Gift Banda as his deputy.
The bribe money totalling just over $8 000 was paid by one
of the candidates for the Zifa executive committee post and the suspect (name
supplied) has since given a recorded statement to the police in Harare. The
official exchange rate then was one-to-one to the United States dollar.
He claimed the money was for “lunch and other incidentals”.
“Had it not been for the lockdown due to Covid-19, we could
have covered a lot of ground. These councillors are spread all over. Some are
provincial chairmen, others regional chairmen and members of those leagues.
“It’s a shame and from our preliminary investigations those
elections were just a farce. One of the candidates, we are told was paying in
cash, which makes it difficult to prove, but one councillor is a willing
witness,” said a police source.
The source said a total of $8 110 was paid to the
councillors via mobile money transfer system, with figures ranging from $400 to
$1 700, depending on the influence that each individual councillor was deemed
to have.
Three of the “highly influential councillors” who got over
a $1 000 each are said to be in Harare, Bulawayo and Matabeleland North
provinces (names supplied).
“We have also recorded statements from a former executive
committee member, who said procedurally, the association takes care of the
candidates’ meals, accommodation and so-called incidentials, so we shall be
keen to get clarity on why this individual used his own money,” said the
source.
Kamambo stunned then incumbent and businessman Phillip
Chiyangwa, getting 35 votes to Chiyangwa’s 24.
Constitutionally, the winner was supposed to garner at
least two thirds of the vote, but after amassing 35 to Chiyangwa’s 24, the
latter withdrew his candidature just before a re-run was conducted.
Just like Chiyangwa, the then incumbent vice-president Omega
Sibanda also fell by the wayside, losing 22-37 to Banda. Phillemon Machana was the only one re-elected to the board.
New faces elected in those elections were Manica Diamonds
secretary-general Sugar Chagonda, Rodrick Chamu Chiwanza and Brighton Malandule.
Chiwanza has since been expelled from the Zifa executive
committee after being found guilty of misrepresentation, claiming he possessed
eight years of football administration experience. Herald
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