Midlands Correspondent
FORMER Zifa Central Soccer League (CSL) chairman Patrick Hokonya has expressed interest in contesting for the Zifa Central Region presidency scheduled for March 6.
Hokonya, who was the inaugural CSL chairman in 2010, told a press briefing that he had picked up nomination forms and was confident of winning.
Hokonya was flanked by former PSL secretary-general Mwandibuya Mutepfa, former Zifa board member for competitions Benedict Moyo and ex-Lancashire Steel secretary Tendai Hove, who all endorsed his candidature.
The former CSL chairman said he had decided to run for the presidency following “several calls” by football stakeholders in the region that want him back in the game.
“After receiving several calls from stakeholders in the region, who felt the standard of football was now going down and also that the vision that we initially had isn’t being followed through, I then considered coming back as president of the CSL,” said Hokonya.
“I want to complete the programmes that I started. We were the first to rebrand ourselves from the Zifa Central Region to the Zifa Central Soccer League. We managed to get sponsorship in our first season and we had many programmes that I had lined up.
“There is also a feeling that the level of competition has gone down and there is need to come up with a leaner league and reduce affiliation fees, which have become a burden for clubs,” he said.
Mutepfa, who was chairman of the CSL marketing committee then, said he is throwing his weight behind Hokonya so that he can complete some of the projects he started.
“I’ve known Hokonya since his days at Zimbabwe Saints and when he came to the CSL, he transformed it into the best league in its first year and secured sponsorship in our maiden season,” Mutepfa said.
“It only makes sense for football stakeholders to bring him back so that he sees the vision he had for the league through.”
Hove described Hokonya as an astute professional, who has goodwill in the corporate world, which will enable the league to secure sponsorship.
Moyo apologised to Hokonya at the briefing for kicking him out of football in 2012 over match-fixing allegations as he was later cleared of any wrongdoing.
Hokonya, a former business executive at a leading mobile network operator, is set to lock horns with CSL board member Stanley Chapeta, Whawha FC chairperson Musa Ntonga and Zifa Midlands chairman Brian Chishanga in elections for the region’s presidency.