Kenny Mubaiwa
Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter—
THE Premier Soccer League board of governors will this morning elect a new chairman to replace Twine Phiri who was booted out in December after Zifa ordered fresh elections. Calling for PSL chairmanship elections, Zifa president Phillip Chiyangwa argued that Phiri, who ceded his majority shares at Caps United to Farai Jere, was no longer the club’s president or chairman and could not lead the league.
Dynamos’ chairman Kenny Mubaiwa and his Highlanders counterpart Peter Dube are the two candidates vying for the chairman’s position during polls to be held in Harare.
Dube is also the PSL vice-chairman. The two candidates have been busy trying to woo governors into their corner with Dube advocating for continuity while Mubaiwa believes the league needs a new leader who will take them to greater heights.
Pressure is likely to be on Mubaiwa who lost the 2014 elections to Phiri, going down 3-13. Zifa chief executive officer Jonathan Mashingaidze said Dube would revert to his vice-chairmanship post in the event that he loses to Mubaiwa.
“Everything is set for the elections. We’ve four other elections besides the PSL this weekend which are the Central and Eastern Regions, Masvingo Province and Beach Soccer. With regards to PSL elections, in the event that Dube loses, he’ll revert to his vice-chairman’s seat because he never resigned and if he wins, that doesn’t necessarily mean Mubaiwa will assume the deputy role. The PSL assembly will then decide what action to take,” said Mashingaidze.
The most logical thing to do in the event that Mubaiwa loses is to call for vice-chairman’s elections, just like what happened to the chairman’s.
“The PSL work and activities are there for everyone to see what has happened in the last couple of years. We’ve run a competitive league, we’ve tried to be as fair and administratively correct for every club. I’m not one of the people who say I’ve been asked by people to go there, I was in there, I know the work we were doing and I want to do it in the best interest of our game,” said Dube.
“I wouldn’t have put my name forward if I wasn’t confident. You must also agree that even if you’re confident you’ve to subject yourself to some competition. In this race I’m sure people have seen what I’m capable of. I’m not talking of strangers. I’ve been a governor for four years and I think my works and my administrative capabilities are something my colleagues are aware of. I attend these meetings with them all the time. They’re aware. I must actually be proud that I don’t run a small club; I run a big club but when it comes to administrative matters I’ve never put my club ahead of other clubs. We do everything for all the clubs; we present a fair environment for everyone to compete in. It’s on that strength and all other factors put together that I believe I’ll still get the mandate of all other clubs to look after the PSL interests.”
Mubaiwa, who took his campaign to Bulawayo during the week, said he has done his homework and is confident of victory. He identified lack of financial resources as a common problem for all the clubs.
“What the clubs have been saying is that they’re struggling financially and they need a cushion. If elected I’m going to market this PSL brand that improved a lot under Phiri and what it requires now is for someone to take it to another level. Aggressive marketing is what we need and if we’ve a database for all the teams’ supporters, it becomes easy to sell our PSL brand. In protecting our brand, we should also protect the image of our sponsors,” said Mubaiwa.
The Dynamos chairman highlighted the need to partner organisations like the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) and transporters so that the PSL negotiates for the clubs to get discounted rates whenever they travel for their matches.
Mubaiwa also spoke about an ambitious development project that he will lobby for once elected into office.
“The PSL gets money from sponsors and what I’m saying is that we can direct 20 or 30 percent of that total package to junior development. By junior development I mean we introduce a reserve league where players who are registered in the Under-20 slots will compete in. If you look closely you’ll see that not all players in under-20 slots command first team jerseys and they don’t develop. We mustn’t neglect those youngsters,” said Mubaiwa.
List of PSL governors:
1. Border Strikers – Mandla Moyo
2. Bulawayo City FC – Jerry Sibanda
3. Caps United – Lewis Uriri
4. Chapungu – Neil Armstrong
5. Chicken Inn – Lifa Ncube
6. Dynamos – Kenny Mubaiwa
7. FC Platinum – Dumisani Sisale
8. Harare City – Alois Masepe
9. Highlanders -Peter Dube
10. How Mine – Paul McAndrews
11. Hwange – Joseph Zulu
12. Mutare City – Isdore Bingura
13. Ngezi Platinum – Jeremiah Gasitene
14. Triangle – Lovemore Matikinyidze
15. Tsholotsho FC – Mandla Manyathela
16. ZPC Kariba – Tungamirai Mazarire