The Sunday Mail
THERE is no doubt the Ruyamuro Division One Northern Region Soccer League (NRSL) is the most talked-about domestic competition at the moment, which has created a buzz around the country.
Large crowds are being witnessed at games in areas such as Shamva, Kadoma, Karoi, Chakari, Muriel Mine and Chinhoyi.
The league also continues to attract sponsorship under the leadership of Martin Kweza, who spoke to our reporter Langton Nyakwenda on his thoughts about the league’s achievements as they reached half-way stage.
The businessman has also been mandated by the ZIFA Congress to lead them in convening an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM).
He told The Sunday Mail Sport that all is set for the indaba, which was deferred from January to April on FIFA’s recommendation
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As Northern Region, we are happy with progress made so far both on the field of play and outside.
I think we were able to make sure that we market our brand, package it and give it to the fans.
When I came into office, I said I wanted to make sure my focus is on marketing the game and the brand.
We did that quite well.
I am quite happy you have seen the results.
In the Northern Region, there is no small team; that’s why you find Simba Bhora losing to Commando Bullets.
The competition that has been created by the sponsors is so exciting.
The fans are excited. If you go to our matches, you will see we are attracting crowds, some of them bigger than some of the Premier Soccer League games — not that we are doing better than the PSL.
We are happy with what we have achieved in the first half of the season.
I think what we did quite well was to work during the time when all the other leagues where on lockdown …
We were looking for sponsors and busy putting our structures in place.
We managed to put a very vibrant marketing team in place and set up a marketing secretariat.
They know what they are doing.
We shared our vision with them and even when I am not there, I am not worried because I know the guys know what they are supposed to do.
We have managed to get a number of sponsors.
We have the Coach of the Month, Player of the Month, Top Goalscorer of the Month and also the Goalkeeper of the Month awards that also have financial rewards.
They also translate to Best Player of the Year, even the Coach of the Year.
We also managed to come up with a Top 8 tournament sponsored by Axis Solutions, and every team wanted to be part of the top eight.
That bid has managed to drive our teams to fight to be among the top eight.
That’s how we managed to create excitement and competition within the league.
We have successfully done our draw, came up with the fixtures and we are ready to roll, with Match Number One of the Axis Solutions Super 8 Cup scheduled for April 16 in Shamva.
It’s going to be a knockout competition from the word go.
When we reach the semi-final stage, it’s going to be home-and-away matches, with the winner advancing to the finals.
Youth development
We are working with not only Nelson Matongorere, but with Lloyd Chigowe as well to put up structures in Harare Province, and I am happy with the work they have done so far.
Our junior league is well-structured in Harare now.
What is left is for us to launch and also to make sure that we get funding for the various structures we have.
We also now want them to move to Mashonaland West and do the same and also end up with Mashonaland Central, so that in Northern Region we end up having the same set-up in each of our provinces and that we have vibrant junior programmes in place.
We are hoping that with time others are going to see the light and will also replicate our vision. We understand that junior teams might struggle to get funding, so we don’t want them to travel from one district to another.
So they are centred in one district.
We have teams in Mbare playing in Mbare.
Those in Highfield will also play in Highfield.
They will only move when it’s now a competition and there is a sponsor for transport.
But, basically, most competitions will be done in their respective districts.
Eventually, we want to have a regional team for the juniors.
Contentious ZIFA issue
Maybe if I can correct the facts from the word go, because there are some rumours being peddled that Zimbabwe will not be allowed back to international football until 2023 when the FIFA Congress meets.
We all know that is a lie.
There is a board, the FIFA executive, that runs football in between Congresses.
They made the decision to suspend Zimbabwe and they took the issue to the FIFA Congress for ratification.
In the same manner they handled the issue of the suspension, they will also handle the lifting of the suspension.
So, we are not worried about the ratification of the suspension by the FIFA Congress.
The other point is that we are following our constitution. FIFA advised us to follow the constitution and that is what we are doing so that we do not have any legal issues arising out of it (the EGM).
So I don’t see FIFA refusing to endorse the outcome of our EGM because they have already written to us. They told us to wait for 90 days and we are waiting for 90 days.
So, I am very confident that FIFA will accept the outcome of the EGM that we have set for April 23.
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It will be very difficult for FIFA not to, because what people should know is that the councillors elected the executive committee and when the Congress is coming and saying we don’t need you anymore, FIFA cannot force that person on us.
So, I don’t see them denying us. They will be opening a Pandora’s box.
The issue of readmission into the international family, I normally do not want to talk about it because it’s an issue between the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) and FIFA.
It has nothing to do with Congress.
As Congress, we are following our own route. Whether there was a suspension or not, we were still going to revoke the mandate of the ZIFA Board.
We are still going to do that … and then communicate with FIFA.
Whatever happens after that, if it’s going to help FIFA to lift the suspension, then it’s good for us as the football family because the suspension was never good from the word go.
We never wanted it as Congress and we never agreed with the executive committee’s call for the suspension.
Profile
I enjoy football a lot; it’s my passion.
So I ended up being secretary of an unknown team which was called Spillway by that time. It was owned by the Department of Water then.
After that, I was then transferred to Bulawayo in my other life, that is work life. I didn’t do anything except watch football when I was in Bulawayo.
When I was transferred to Harare, there was a team, Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA), which was in the social league. I took over as the secretary and I managed to take them to Division One, and that is the Harare City that you see today.
And then when we sold the franchise to Harare City, the clubs had seen how good I was with football administration and they said we want you in the board.
I ended up being elected board member (development) in the Northern Region and our chairperson back then was Solomon Mugavazi.
From there, I became the vice chair of the Northern Region and after that I became the chair.
Ambitions
We all have ambitions. If you are a person, you aspire to go higher.
You must never be satisfied with being where you are.
If an opportunity arises at the right time, I will not hesitate to go for it.
But it all depends on the situation and the environment.
Remember, I am a professional guy. My work also comes first and so before I make that decision, I will have to consider a number of things.
But everyone aspires to go up, so if an opportunity arises, I will grab it.
