Four candidates have so far declared their interest to contest for the Central Region chairman’s post.
Mukudzei Chingweru
The post was left vacant last year when former chairman Felton Kamambo was elevated to the national Zifa board.
The four who are vying for the post, are current Central Region board member administration Stanley Chapeta, WhaWha Football Club chairperson Musa Ntonga, Midlands province Zifa chairperson Brian Chishanga and former region boss Patrick Hokonya.
Chapeta confirmed his candidature and pledged to carry on from where Kamambo, whom he described as a “chosen leader”, had left off before being seconded to the Zifa national board.
He says he believes his lengthy romance with football will work in his favour.
“I have been in football administration for a long time and I know what is needed to drive the region forward. I could have contested for the post a long time ago, but I preferred other less challenging jobs because I had commitments elsewhere,” said Chapeta.
“ Now that I have retired from my job, I am fully-committed to football administration which has made me contest for the vacant post. The most important thing is to get there and try to unlock avenues that will bring sponsorship to the region and I am sure I can do that.”
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However, Chapeta and Ntonga seem to have been reading from the same script as the WhaWha chairperson also spoke about unlocking sponsorship.
“I have gained valuable experience from my time as chairperson of WhaWha Football Club and I am ready to bring good corporate governance to the region,” said Ntonga.
“The region is in serious need of sponsorship and I am confident we will quickly get that sponsorship under my leadership.”
Veteran football administrator Chishanga said he had been part of the region for a long time and knew what needed to be done to succeed as a region.
“I have been in football for a long time and I am committed to the development of this region. There are shortcomings that I have seen over the years that I can address when elected into office,” said Chishanga.
Hokonya was unceremoniously ousted from the Central Region post a few years ago and is believed to be determined to regain the post.
