Paul Mundandi, Sports Correspondent
RELEGATED Whawha FC chairperson Musa Ntonga has announced that she will contest for the vacant Zifa Central Region chairmanship in elections slated for February 6.
The post was left vacant by Felton Kamambo’s election into the Zifa board in December 2015.
Ntonga, 40, will become the first woman to lead a Zifa region and only the second woman to hold a top football post in the country after former Zifa chief executive officer Henrietta Rushwaya, if she wins the poll.
Others that have confirmed an interest to run for the post are Brian Chishanga and Stanley Chapeta. Ntonga was bubbling with confidence yesterday.
“I will be collecting my nomination papers tomorrow (today) and I can confirm that I will be standing for the elections. I am ready for the challenge. My mission is to prove these people wrong and inspire other women into football administration. Just watch this space,” said Ntonga.
“I still want to go the extra mile and get to higher levels of football administration. I want to be a leader at provincial level. Who said a woman cannot be a Zifa chairperson? Women can do it too and I intend to prove it on February 6.”
Ntonga said one of the challenges facing the Central Region is that it is the least lucrative compared to other regions as there is no marketing and the structures lack a feminist touch.
“The Northern Region under Manyengavana (Willard) has achieved a lot and if elected I would want to follow suit. Our players must get prizes at the end of the season just like the Northern Region where the Soccer Star drives a car home. Players must also be insured in case of injury and death.
“The region must help teams in acquiring football kits for home and away games and it must be run professionally just like what the PSL does. We must get some sponsors and try and get publicity as much as we can and also try to get our games screened on national television as a way of marketing our players.”
Ntonga said she had been in football since 2004 and even attended Level 1 and Level 2 coaching courses under the tutelage of Gibson Homela when she was the regional sports officer for Matabeleland.
Her duties saw her becoming heavily involved in the running of Ntabazinduna Football club, signing players and recruiting technical staff.
Chishanga, who is the Zifa Midlands chairman, said he wants to take the region to a higher level.
He believes he already has 12 votes in the bag out of a possible 24.
“I am confident that Gweru United, MSU, Shabanie, FC Platinum and my three councillors from the Central Region and the others from Matabeleland South will vote for me. I will then add votes from ZRP Gwanda and ZRP Beitbridge and will be done,” said Chishanga.
Chapeta, who is the Central Region’s secretary-general, also feels he has what it takes to be at the helm.
“I am happy that Ntonga and Chishanga are contesting. If one of them wins, I will support them but I am just happy that their contesting makes the race competitive,” he said.