ZIFA polls: Can these aspirants be trusted?

Eddie Chikamhi

Senior Sports Reporter

THE roadmap for the ZIFA elections may still be at its embryonic stage, but aspiring office holders cannot wait any longer as jostling for the association’s presidency has already started, several months before the poll.

The ZIFA board elections can only be held latest in January 2025 following a resolution by FIFA to extend the mandate of the ZIFA Normalisation Committee, which is responsible for organising the poll.

The Normalisation Committee has to hold elections starting from the area zones and will round off by calling for an elective congress at which the president and the executive committee will be elected.

With just about six months left before the FIFA deadline for the electoral process to be completed, campaigning has already started, especially on social media, where characters like United States-based businessman Richard Wangu Mazodze, the UK-based duo of Marshall Gore and FIFA agent Ellen Chiwenga have publicly proclaimed their interests.

It promises to be a long and exciting road, full of twists and turns, as more aspirants in the background have not directly come out in the open, or have spoken through third parties.

These are the likes of Walter Magaya, Twine Phiri, Alois Bunjira, Brighton “Panjap” Ushendibaba, Kudakwashe Mugari and former Dynamos chairperson Kenny Mubaiwa.

FIFA football agent Chiwenga has never made her ambitions a secret from as far back as 2020 when she announced intentions to challenge former ZIFA president Felton Kamambo’s bid for a second term in the polls that were supposed to be held in 2022.

She has been relentless in her pursuit to lead the country’s football association.

If she is successful, she will become only the third African woman to lead a football association after Lydia Nsekera of Burundi and Isha Johansen of Sierra Leone.

According to her LinkedIn profile, Chiwenga is a FIFA football match agent and member of the Association of Football Agents (AFA), the International Association of FIFA Licensed Football Match Agents (FIFMA), FIFA Fan Movement and Women in Football (WIF) from Zimbabwe.

“She has worked over the past 20 years with leading football clubs and national teams in Europe and England on player transfers, academy development, sponsorship and partnerships, as well as friendly games and pre-season tours,” reads part of her biography.

“As a woman in a male-dominated industry, she strives to promote diversity and equality in the game and became the first African woman Football Match Agent in the world.”

United Kingdom-based entrepreneur and football administrator Gore last week became the latest to throw his hat into the ring. Gore, who has co-ordinated football activities in the diaspora for over a decade through his organisations such as Team Zimbabwe, Bhora Africa and African Football Association, took to social media to declare his interest in the hot seat that has been vacant for the last two years due to administrative challenges bedevilling the local game.

In his campaign message, Gore said he wanted to bring a professional touch to the way the game was run.

“This is a campaign that is genuine. This is a campaign that is driven by sincerity, this is a campaign that is driven by the love for the game and not the love for money,” he said.

“This is a campaign of service leadership. This is a campaign for the grassroots football development. This is a campaign to change the plight of our football.”

Gore believes the domestic football administration needs a reboot after years of being run down by inept administrators.

He also revealed plans for grassroots development, women’s football and improved welfare for current and retired footballers.

Former Zimbabwe international Bunjira has been waiting on the sidelines for a long time. He is yet to publicly declare his intentions, although he is believed to be working behind the scenes.

Efforts to draw him into the conversations recently drew vagueness as he insisted he “can only talk about ZIFA elections when the date and the time have been set”.

He has been expending his energies on developing future football stars at his Albun Football Academy, as well as at Premier Soccer League giants CAPS United, where he has been instrumental in the marketing department.

A longtime critic of the status quo in Zimbabwean football, Bunjira has always spoken about a change in mindset and transforming the way the game is run to match modern trends.

Bunjira had a successful playing career at home and abroad before returning to give back to the game after retirement.

He was up for the challenge ahead of the abortive 2022 poll.

Then, he announced his intention to vie for the ZIFA presidency in a post on his Facebook account when he declared he had “a lot to offer to Zimbabwean football”.

“Deep down I have always believed I have a lot to offer to Zimbabwe football. I may as well take it up and contest. Yes, I am up for it,” he said then.

“Football indeed needs to be sorted out guys. With the support of everyone involved, Zimbabwe football can
rise.”

It is only natural he has the backing of many former footballers, who believe the game needs someone who has gone through the mill.

Bunjira is expected to make his move once the ZIFA Normalisation Committee finalises the groundwork for the elections.

Ushendibaba, a local businessman, has also revealed his ambitions for the ZIFA presidency.

New York-based Zimbabwean businessman Mazodze, who owns two Division One teams — FC Wangu Mazodze and FC Wangu Mazodze City — is among those who have come out in the open on their intentions.

“In my quest to serve my country as the ZIFA president, it is my humble opinion that it shall be an opportunity for me to display my patriotism, my commitment and equally have an opportunity to give back to my country of birth,” he explained in one of his campaign videos.

“We are trying to bring a new approach to the running of the institute of football. ZIFA is one of the richest and most modern institutes in Zimbabwe. I believe that we can’t continue doing the same thing and expecting different results, a change must be done.”

One of his campaign foot soldiers Trevor Chateuka, who is the chairman of FC Wangu Mazodze, told Zimpapers Sports Hub that Mazodze had been approached by various football people, “begging” him to take up the challenge.

There is a widespread belief within their camp that the United States-based businessman will be able to source sponsorship for football from the grassroots to the national team due to his entrenched business connections.

According to Chateuka, “Mazodze wants to bring a business element to the way football is run in Zimbabwe. He has been involved in football for the past 20 years and his astute record as an entrepreneur and businessman speaks loud”.

But it is Yadah Stars owner Magaya who has been the most spoken of after he received public endorsement from prominent football people like former Warriors coach Brazilian Baltemar Brito and former Zimbabwe internationals Tapuwa Kapini and Willard Katsande.

Former CAPS United owner and ex-PSL chairman Twine Phiri is strongly touted to return to mainstream football administration with the ZIFA presidency offering this opportunity.

The other names that have been thrown around include veteran broadcaster Charles Mabika and legendary referee Felix Tangawarima.