THE ongoing Zifa boardroom wrangle has sucked in top government officials with revelations that a Cabinet minister could have helped himself to over US$1 million meant for bonuses and allowances for Warriors players during the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals held in Egypt.
The chaotic campaign for the Warriors was characterised by
player boycotts over bonuses and allowances. At one point, the players
threatened to boycott their opening game against hosts.
It has emerged that over a million dollars that was
fundraised by President Emmerson Mnangagwa towards the players’ welfare in
Cairo, could have been looted.
A damning letter to Sports minister Kirsty Coventry by
legislator Omega Sibanda, which has been leaked to NewsDay Sport, shows that at
least US$1,2 million of the US$1,5m raised, could not be accounted for.
This comes after the country’s sports regulator, the Sports
and Recreation Commission (SRC) suspended the Zifa executive committee led by
Felton Kamambo over allegations of misappropriation of public funds and
sweeping under the carpet and sexual harassment of female referees.
They are also accused of refusing to account for the funds
that the association received towards the 2019 Afcon finals. Kamambo, who has
had his mandate and that of two others revoked over the issue, refutes the
allegations.
SRC suspended Kamambo in November last year, but five
months later, there haven’t been any arrests or convictions despite the
seriousness of the charges.
Sibanda, who served twice as Zifa vice-president, told
Coventry that the allegations that were raised against Kamambo’s board were
frivolous.
The letter was written on April 19, four days before
Saturday’s emergency general meeting (EGM) which booted out Kamambo.
“The only public funds that remain not acquitted are those
fundraised with the help of HE (His Excellency) President Mnangagwa in 2019 for
the Egypt Afcon. Over US$1 500 000 was raised from that and only US$216 000
according to the Zifa Afcon acquittal (see annexure M, N, O of the Zifa untold
story document for proof of this acquittal even that was given to the SRC at
the time by Zifa) was paid by the committee directly to players and not through
Zifa accounts,” Sibanda wrote.
“This is where, in my view, where you should ask the SRC or
the (fundraising) committee where the rest of the money, more than US$1,3
million went. It is of public importance that such information be shared
because that remains the only outstanding unacquitted public funds channelled
to football (by the government) but such was not under Zifa, but a committee
established and composed of several ministers.”
The fundraising committee was headed by Home Affairs
minister Kazembe Kazembe, who personally flew to Egypt and handed the money
directly to players.
“If the public gets wind of such, it will be damaging to
the ministry and not to Zifa. The same Zifa Board acting out of maturity that
is now being publicly attacked, chose to keep quiet realising those that make
up the committee and how such might have been abused by certain elements for
political expediency. To this extent you have never heard them defending themselves
that maybe SRC allegations of public funds must be directed to Hon Kazembe’s
committee fearing the damage such will bring to senior government officials.
Your SRC seems, however, eager to force this board’s hand to divulge such
details. The question is who is this SRC serving? Are they really serving the
government and HE (His Excellency)’s interests or something else?”
Sibanda warned Coventry that she could have been misled by
SRC on the reasons and the procedure when suspending the Zifa board. He said if
she fails to handle this Zifa wrangle, she risk tarnishing her image and that
of the ruling Zanu PF party.
Hon minister, I reiterate herewith what I said in our
meeting this issue was not handled properly from the start. I reiterate that
all available information shows you were misinformed on the real reasons for
the board suspension; you were misinformed on correctness of the SRC suspension
procedure which clearly is even wrong with our own laws; you were misled on the
so-called restoration road map which included formation of a football
Restructuring committee and conducting of an illegal EGM by some Zifa
delegates. It is my considered view that the only solution to this quagmire is
the lifting of the executive committee suspension so that football can be
restored to normalcy as no other process can take place that Fifa will ever
agree to. I also would want to repeat what l said to you in our meeting that
you and l belong to one governing party and it would hurt me to see your legacy
in sport being decimated with things that can be avoided; the party that we
belong to losing some votes in the 2023 elections because of bad decisions that
were arrived at wrongly without due process,” Sibanda said.
Last week, Coventry appeared before a Parliamentary
Committee on Sports where she gave her blessing to Kamambo’s suspension. She
also said the government has been financially supporting Kamambo’s board since
he took office, something that Sibanda disputed.
“I urge you to get details from SRC of these government
funds that you made mention in Parliament under oath. My fear is you may be
misled by SRC and end up innocently misleading Parliament with things that can
easily be proven as untrue and in such case Parliament may charge the one
misleading of contempt. Hon minister, I say so because I have seen
documentation and audited accounts of Zifa which only shows Zifa under this
suspended board only received US$53 000 from the government in 2019 which it
fully acquitted at the time and the entire amount was paid to players. Apart
from that Zifa never took receipt of any other money, so the question is which
other government money did they not acquit?”
Sibanda said the Zifa EGM that was held at the weekend
against Fifa’s advice and the association’s statutes, has no force.
“Zifa is currently suspended and what this means is that no
decisions or meetings that are acceptable from Fifa can take place. So, to
suggest that the meeting is a panacea to our problems and part of the road map
for reinstatement by Fifa, is misleading. These people breached the Zifa
constitution and believe you me soon you will see l was correct when Fifa
eventually speaks on this issue. I therefore would rather I assist you in
correctly interpreting these statutes rather than lead you astray when l know
that you will be exposed in the fullness of time.” Newsday
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