Zifa Electoral Committee chairperson Lincoln Mutasa says his committee is not inventing any new rules ahead of the election but is merely “trying to stick to the book.”
The football association’s watershed polls, the first after
a rare period of normalisation, are scheduled for Harare on January 25.
Today marks exactly a month before those elections to
select a substantive executive committee, which will replace the ousted Felton
Kamambo board that left in ignominious fashion after first being suspended by
the Sports and Recreation Commission in November 2021.
The ZIFA Congress then weighed in with a revocation of the
board’s mandate in April 2022 before FIFA appointed Mutasa to head the
Normalisation Committee.
But the election tempo moved into gear on Monday when
Mutasa’s committee, with the aid of the Ethics and Integrity Committee,
released the names of the aspirants who had succeeded to be candidates.
That much-awaited announcement also touched off a storm
with those who fell by the wayside voicing strong protestations over their
disqualification.
Among the casualties of the Electoral Committee’s rule book
were the potential election heavyweights: Farai Jere, Walter Magaya, Themba
Mliswa, and Benjani Mwaruwari.
After initially contesting his ejection from the race, Jere
later yesterday backed down from appealing against the decision, arguing that
he had decided to “let football be the winner.
After receiving some criticism from the aggrieved parties,
Mutasa also reiterated his weekend message that his Normalisation Committee,
which is acting as the Electoral Committee in these polls, was being guided by
the amended ZIFA constitution and the association’s electoral code.
This also came as Jere had questioned the decision to bar
him from contesting.
“We have not invented the rules and regulations. As the
Electoral Committee, we are just following what the ZIFA Congress wants,”
Mutasa told Zimpapers Sports Hub yesterday.
“We are implementing the rules given to us by the Congress
regarding a lot of issues, including the issue of 5 O’ Levels. We are trying to
stick to the book,” added Mutasa.
Mutasa also wrote to Jere advising him of the reasons that
had led to his disqualification.
“I regret to inform you that following the integrity checks
required for candidacy in the upcoming Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA)
executive committee elections, It has been determined that you have not met the
necessary criteria to proceed as a candidate. Specifically, this pertains to
the last submission of your name change on the O and A Level certificates.
“We understand that this news may be disappointing. The
integrity checks are a crucial part of our commitment to upholding the highest
standards of ethical conduct within our organisation. This process is essential
for fostering trust and transparency in our operations and ensuring that all
candidates meet the rigorous standards expected by the football community.
“We encourage you to remain engaged with ZIFA and continue
to contribute to the development of football in Zimbabwe. Should you have any
questions regarding the integrity check process or require further information,
please do not hesitate to contact us.
“Should you wish to appeal, please kindly note the process
is outlined in Article 85(9) of the ZIFA Statutes,’’ read part of Mutasa’s
letter to Jere.
According to Mutasa, appellants can lodge their protests
with the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport, in line with the said
Article 85(9) of the ZIFA constitution.
However, Jere has decided against pursuing the CAS appeal
despite earlier writing to the Electoral Commit-tee questioning his exclusion.
In that letter, Jere had also explained his situation. “I
wish to bring to your attention and emphasise that earlier today (Monday), at
approximately 08:45 am, I submitted my birth certificate and the 2002
Government Gazette reflecting my name change, which was legally processed by
Manasa and Manasa Legal Practitioners.
The trio of Magaya, Mliswa, and Mwaruwari have also since
been furnished with explanations from the Normalisation Committee on why they
have been barred from contesting. Herald
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