The Sunday Mail
Ishemunyoro Chingwere
FIFA development officer Ashford Mamelodi could have played the role of midwife in the jettisoning of Cuthbert Dube and his entire Zifa board, exclusive audio clips obtained by this publication suggest.
A revealing teleconference between the Fifa official and some board members who were suspended by Dube for pushing for his ouster reveals that Mamelodi offered the anti Dube campaigners advice.
Participants in the teleconference call, which was held sometime in July and coordinated by Northern Region Vice Chairman Martin Kweza, include the region’s chairman Willard Manyengavana and board member Sweeny Mushonga, Eastern Region chairman Piraishe Mabhena, his central region counterpart Felton Kamambo and Southern Region boss Musa Mandaza.
In the recording, authenticated by several participants, Mamelodi urges the suspended councilors to apologise so that they get back into the fold as demanded by Dube.
He highlighted that the councilors had every right to express their disgust but needed to be push their motion to revoke Dube’s mandate from within.
Mamelodi also dispelled the notion that Fifa backed Dube.
“I just want to say to you Fifa is a friend of Zifa not individuals. For us from the Leo Mugabe days to the Juul (Trevor) days, everybody who comes in we work with, but for the interest of Zifa, of Zimbabwe football,” says Mamelodi in the recording.
“So earlier on Mr Kweza gave me a synopsis of your concerns and what I told him is that there is absolutely nothing wrong in what your views are.
“In football we believe in democracy and councilors have every right to express their views when they feel it is necessary.
“I just wanted to assure you that we are monitoring the situation closely, and we would like two things… that you guys are back in the fold of Zifa and that you guys as councilors are allowed to submit your agenda items because you know any delay, somebody will use the technicality of saying we have run out of time you can’t make submissions.”
Mamelodi also told the councilors to feel free to express their views in a July 25 meeting that set the platform for Dube’s ouster early this month as Fifa would guarantee their safety.
“We would like you guys to participate at the meeting on the 25th . . . so have nothing to fear, but see we didn’t want a situation where because you are suspended, you are kept out.
“. . . you will have protection of all Zifa councilors, because football is best run by the people of Zimbabwe without limiting them without pulling them so that’s why for us the councilors are very important.
“And please be assured, nobody is setting any trap for you, we at Fifa are monitoring every movement of football in Zimbabwe at the moment and this is why we are worried that you know your return is somewhat slow,” he said.
Dube was due to travel to Canada to attend the 2015 Fifa Women’s World Cup final and Mamelodi implored the councilors to make sure they meet with their then boss before he left the country.
He also appealed to them to swallow their pride and apologise to Dube as per his demands.
“But we want your full participation, so if it’s a question of an apology, I want to appeal to you because we want to strengthen football in Zimbabwe. . . if it’s a question of an apology to get your status back the sooner that is done the better,” he said.
