Minister Makhosini Hlongwane
Eddie Chikamhi Harare Bureau
NOW that Zifa have failed to stop tomorrow’s extraordinary general meeting, despite spirited attempts by chief executive Jonathan Mashingaidze, does this mark the beginning of the end of Cuthbert Dube’s reign as the leader of Zimbabwe football? All the signs appear to point to that with Fifa and Caf representatives expected in Harare today for the indaba while Sport and Recreation Minister, Makhosini Hlongwane, is also expected to attend the meeting.
There have been spirited efforts, this week, by Zifa, through Mashingaidze, amid reports by some people that he was working under the instructions of Dube, to have the meeting deferred but Fifa refused to be used by the domestic football leadership. Dube now faces a defining moment at the helm of the country’s football mother body tomorrow with the people who elected him, just more than a year ago, saying that he has failed to discharge his mandate.
The councillors have moved a motion to revoke the mandate of Dube, and his board members, and — if what happened at the last meeting, where the Harare business executive was told point blank that he has failed and should leave, is anything to go by — then this is the end of the road for the Zifa boss. One of the delegates who spoke to our correspondent yesterday said the councillors believe they have won a huge victory, just by getting the meeting held, and virtually all of them will foot their bills just to ensure that their voices are heard.
A 51 percent vote of those in attendance, supporting the motion, will see Dube suffering the humiliation of being kicked out of office. “We have been told that we should be able to foot our bills and this is nothing new to us because that was the same situation the last time when we came for the AGM,” the Councillor.
“So, we actually expected it and had budgeted for it. “Of course, these guys have their own pressures at Zifa. It’s true their finances are not in good shape but the reason this meeting is happening is because we want to bring to an end to such problems.
“As far as I know most of the delegates have confirmed that they will be available except one or two who cannot sacrifice because of the economic challenges.
“To me, deferring this meeting is just like deferring our problems. We need to sort things out once and for all bearing in mind that there is never going to come a time when we shall say now we have the money let’s hold the meeting, never. “Even if we’re to wait for 10 more months, the issue of resources at Zifa will always remain the same, if not worse.”
Mashingaidze has been making frantic efforts to postpone the meeting on the basis that the cash-strapped association lacked resources to finance the gathering. The Zifa chief executive wrote to Fifa trying to persuade the football governing body that Zifa were not in a position to finance such a meeting at the moment.
But after failing to find joy from the Zurich-based body, Mashingaidze yesterday said they had resolved that councillors should foot their own bills. “We are facing some financial challenges and we have asked those who can afford to foot their own bills to do so. Right now we’re seized with the issue of the Mighty Warriors travel arrangements to Cameroon and that is why we had wanted to have such a meeting at a time when we don’t have other competing events,” said Mashingaidze.
Dube was not answering his phone yesterday but the Harare executive told our correspondent in an earlier interview that he was prepared to accept his fate. Dube, who has had a busy schedule in the last month touring the provinces, said he had nothing to fear since he believes he has done his best for Zimbabwean football during trying times.
“Personally I would want the meeting to go ahead because I believe people should freely speak their minds out. I have nothing to fear in this matter. “Leaders come and go and if they say I’m to leave office then that be it. I can tell you very authoritatively that I want that meeting to go ahead,” he said.
The Harare business executive twice survived bids to oust him.