New ZIFA constitution by March, elections to follow

Online Reporter

THE Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) is expected to have a new constitution by March 31, after which a roadmap to elections will be unveiled.

Former and current women football administrators also want the envisaged new constitution to have a provision for two ZIFA vice presidents, with one of them being female.

These proposals are contained in a report compiled by the ZIFA Restructuring Committee, which was presented to the media in Harare on Thursday by the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) chairperson Gerald Mlotshwa.

The restructuring committee was appointed by the SRC in December 2021 to look into the affairs “bedevilling football administration in Zimbabwe”.

“The constitution must state that the laws of Zimbabwe take precedence over all other rules and regulations of ZIFA.

“The registration of ZIFA’s constitution with the SRC infers this, but the document must be explicit in this respect,” the restructuring committee noted. The committee recommended changes to the constitution and provided model provisions for the proposed amendments.

“This model template relies on the latest FIFA statutes as guidance for a new ZIFA constitution, and is informed by the views of the Zimbabwean public.”

One of the recommendations is to bar public office holders from running for office to avoid actual and perceived conflicts of interests, or politicising the association for personal glory.

Other recommendations touched on the Warriors and Mighty Warriors.

“The committee noted that these two national teams should be housed in a structure that receives direct budgetary and administrative support from the Government, whilst ensuring that FIFA rules are respected insofar as the principle of non-interference is concerned.”

The committee also called for women’s football to be recognised, their administrators empowered and be allowed to manage their own affairs.

“Key to this is allowing them (women) to have direct access to FIFA funding so that it is applied to purposes intended.”

In their public consultations, the committee also discovered that the ZIFA Congress’ powers had been usurped by the ZIFA Executive Committee.

“Congress had become subordinate and beholden to the Executive Committee, and ultimately to the association’s president,” wrote the committee.

“Beach soccer and futsal, although in virtual recluse countrywide, still had representatives forming a part of the ZIFA Assembly where they had voting rights,” the report added.

The SRC said it, together with the newly elected ZIFA board, will approach FIFA once the reforms are implemented.

Zimbabwe is currently suspended by FIFA for third-party interference after the SRC suspended the Felton Kamambo-led ZIFA board in November 2021.

“Insofar as ZIFA is concerned, the key reform we want to see is that which relates to constitutional issues.

“Ideally, we want a situation where all these reforms are implemented by the new executive committee appointed under a new constitution.

“The expectation on our part is that we have a new constitution within this first quarter such that by 31st March there is a new ZIFA constitution,” said Mlotshwa.

“Then ZIFA elections are held at all levels, ending up with the executive committee, or the ZIFA president, so to speak. Then that new committee will start implementing the agreed reforms.”

The SRC board, he added, wants to leave a legacy.

“That is why we are holding our ground despite pressure from certain sections, even politicians whom I will not name, who have tried to force us to rethink our position insofar as ZIFA is concerned, in particular ZIFA’s suspension.

“We are not rushing to FIFA, and we are not in a rush to uplift any suspension until such time we are satisfied as SRC that there is sincerity and tangible reforms on the ground.”