The Sunday Mail
Sports Reporter
EDDIE “Mboma’’ Nyatanga, widely regarded as the godfather of the Zimbabwe National Soccer Supporters Association, believes the domestic game is being stalled by endless squabbles and has challenged the sport’s stakeholders to end hostilities that have left ZIFA bleeding from toxic battles.
Nyatanga, who for years has been closely involved with various ZIFA boards and has on some occasions, led the supporters’ charge against some of the leaders, now wants peace, which he reckons is one of the key ingredients for football’s growth.
The Harare businessman emerged from isolation enforced by coronavirus to rally football stakeholders to “find each other’’ and work towards a common goal of developing the game.
Nyatanga’s call came in the week that ZIFA president Felton Kamambo was dragged before the Harare Magistrates’ Courts on allegations of having bribed some of the association’s councillors to vote him into office in December 2018.
The matter, in which Kamambo is alleged to have bribed his way to victory over Philip Chiyangwa during the polls, was postponed to September 14, following a false start last week.
ZIFA are still to settle their dispute with suspended vice president Gift Banda, with the matter dragging on for 21 months.
Nyatanga said he has used the time in quarantine to reflect on the journey football had travelled and the route it had taken.
He said despite some of the legal cases still to be finalised, he believes Kamambo “needs to be given a chance” to see off the remainder of his first term of the ZIFA presidency.
“Football is the country’s biggest sport, it is supposed to be uniting us and providing people with an escape from the sadness and the pain brought about by Covid-19.
“I urge all those that have taken cases to the courts and all those that have other fights against the ZIFA leadership to engage in an all-stakeholder meeting with them and resolve any differences.
“Just like with national politics, let us learn to respect elected officials and always use elections as a platform for leadership renewal or granting an extension to those in office.
“There is so much that can be done if people united for football and work in different structures and sub-committees, we cannot be fighting all the time.
“I must confess that I have on some occasions been used to fight wars in our football, but that has only contributed to taking us backwards while other countries in the region and continent were progressing,’’ Nyatanga said.
He spoke of his relief in coming out of quarantine.
“I must express my hearty greetings to the entire family of football in Zimbabwe and beyond for the support you gave me during my Covid-19-induced quarantine. Your support raised my spirits at a time when I needed it most. A very big thank you to you all, especially people like Farai Rwodzi.
“Covid-19, dear Zimbabweans, is real and its trail of desolation, desperation, depression, deprivation and death shall be felt by generations to come. We have lost and continue to lose our dear ones to Covid-19. The pandemic will no doubt leave indelible marks of pain and agony as mankind is at war with an invisible enemy.
“Our beautiful game has not been spared the agonising experiences, as we have had to suspend our game indefinitely since March. Our players, officials, sponsors, media and the 12th player (the supporters) are groaning in pain, praying that the pandemic spares us and allows us to resume football from school up to national team level.
“As it is, we await with bated breath to hear that our game is back and that no lives shall be sacrificed by its return,’’ Nyatanga said.
He saluted some of the game’s personalities who have passed on in the last few weeks, including former Premier Soccer League chief executive Chris Sambo, ex-Dynamos chairman Philip Mugadza and youthful coach Prince Kadewere.
“We grieve with their families and the family of football in Zimbabwe. May their souls rest in eternal peace. While we mourned our departed colleagues, good things were happening as FIFA and CAF extended the Covid-19 relief fund to all members of FIFA and CAF, Zimbabwe included.
“The relief fund will go a long way in alleviating the stress induced by the pandemic as our clubs needed such an intervention. We thank CAF and FIFA.
“We would like to thank ZIFA for engaging CAF and FIFA on the relief fund which should act as a stimulus to our game. We implore ZIFA to ensure that the Covid-19 relief fund provided by FIFA benefits our game at this hour of great need.
“As the 12th player, we urge all stakeholders from the Government, Sports Commission, Zimbabwe Olympic Committee, the ZIFA Assembly and the media to rally behind the ZIFA executive committee in office for the good of the game. We urge all stakeholders to support the ZIFA leadership in office and not to be drawn into perennial dog fights that have seen our previous administrations being made to spend their tenure fire-fighting. We appeal to everyone with the game at heart to spare a moment for peace and tranquillity to prevail in our game.
“As supporters, we are aware of pending court cases over alleged bribery of voters by the incumbent leadership and other legal battles, but our appeal is that such contestations must be dealt with within the corridors of football and not the courts.
“We run the risk of directing our energies towards issues which will not add value to our good game.
“We urge the Kamambo administration to concentrate on growing football and nothing else. They must embrace all stakeholders and any stakeholder who feels like not working for our game should give our game the much needed space to grow. Let’s give our game the necessary support since football should always be the winner regardless of our differences,’’ Nyatanga said.
