Zifa job hopefuls cleared

Sport
THE Zifa electoral committee yesterday drew battle lines for next Saturday’s presidential polls by clearing all the candidates.

THE Zifa electoral committee yesterday drew battle lines for next Saturday’s presidential polls by clearing all the candidates.

BY MICHAEL MADYIRA Incumbent Cuthbert Dube, outgoing board member marketing Nigel Munyati, Harare City chairman Leslie Gwindi and former Zifa boss Trevor Carelse-Juul, were all given the green light to contest after a “thorough” vetting process.

However, candidates to stand for the vice-president and board membership posts will be verified on Wednesday.

While the electoral committee declared “all systems go” in the race for the ultimate job in Zimbabwean football administration, Zifa are anxiously waiting for tomorrow’s High Court ruling following an urgent application by former Northern Region chairman Saidi Sangula to stop the elections until the electoral process is revamped.

In his application, Sangula is citing an environment vulnerable to electoral fraud rendered by a process that does not conform to the Zifa constitution and electoral code. At the vetting process yesterday, presidential hopefuls were represented by their election agents.

Maimba Mapuranga stood in for Dube, Josh Hozheri was representing Gwindi, Susan Chibizhe and Lazarus Mhurushomana were standing in for Carlse-Juul while Bernard Kirimi stood in for Munyati.

Some of the requirements met by the contestants included police clearance of any criminal conviction, minimum five years’ experience in football administration, five Ordinary Level subjects, proof of Zimbabwean citizenship and nomination by a minimum of three members of the electorate.

Chairman of the electoral committee, retired Labour Court judge Justice Sello Nare led the seven-member committee in vetting the candidates.

“We declared the presidential contestants fit after carefully and thoroughly scrutinising their nomination papers,” said Justice Nare.

“The four nominations for that post were successfully vetted and they can now start campaigning hard. We decided that vetting of candidates for the positions of vice-president and board members be deferred to next Wednesday at 2pm in order for the candidates to submit additional information missing from their applications.

“For example, one would have failed to make it clear in his filing the level which they administered football.”

Former Highlanders vice-chairman Elkanah Dube and player agent Omega Sibanda have filed their nominations for the vice-president position.

The next board would have four board members but there are five aspiring candidates. These are Chicken Inn secretary Tavengwa Hara, former Eastern Region chairman Fungai Chihuri, Harare businessman Bernard Gwarada and former referees boss Gladmore Muzambi.

Outgoing board member development John Phiri is also seeking to retain his position on the board.