If ever there was a dirty Zifa election, then the 2025 one is proving to be the dirtiest ever in Zimbabwean football history ahead of tomorrow's announcement of the final list of candidates for the June 25 polls.
This is an election that has seen 'would be Zifa presidential candidates' spending more time trying to pull each other down by soiling each other's names to the extent of digging up eight-year-old maintenance cases.
An election that has seen Zifa receiving more letters from candidates' lawyers than ever before and chances are that more could be on their way and could arrive after December 23.
It is an election in which some of the rules are not as clear as we would have wanted them to be and are confusing even those in charge of the polls themselves.
An election in which the authorities ignored the alarm raised by former Caps United and Gweru United lynchpin Colin Semwayo that five Zifa congregates had demanded a bribe of US$300 each to sign his nomination papers
The upcoming election has also cheapened our football to the extent that anyone could just wake up from sleep, or arrive from prison and declare that he belongs in the Zifa board.
Keep Reading
- CAPS United dismiss player strike reports
- CAPS United rob Wha Wha
- CAPS Utd salvage point in four-goal thriller
- Inside sport: What has gone wrong at Dynamos?
One that has even seen the two Simba Bhora sponsors Simba Ndoro and Brighton Ushendibaba both seeking Zifa board posts on the basis of their team winning the Castle Lager PSL title when election demands ask for more.
Even more interesting in the whole Simba Bhora story is that club chairman Isaiah Mupfurutsa is also vying for a position in the Zifa board, meaning we are looking at the possibility of having three Simba Bhora personnel in one Zifa board.
What is heartening, though, is that the elections have gathered together some of the best football brains around including three former Highlanders supremos, Peter Dube, Kenny Ndebele, and Omega Sibanda, all sadly, going for the Zifa vice president's post.
It has also attracted Loveness Makura, Sabelo Maphosa, Joyce Kapota, Patience Mutumwa, and Colonel Winner Muropa, a new breed of women football leaders ready to bring fresh ideas to Zifa.
It is also good to see many other club administrators — and not club sponsors — joining in the jostle for posts among them Masimba Chihowa, Modern Ngwenya, Tavengwa Hara, Colonel Edward Mutukwa, and Morgen Dube, after garnering enough knowledge and the required experience to run football at Zifa level.
Moreso, are the names of seasoned and proven football administrators like Davison Muchena, Cuthbert Chitima, Bernard Gwarada, Bheki Nyoni, Lewis Muzhara, Beaular Musara and Joseph Musariri who are also seeking positions as Zifa board members.
Gwarada, in particular, knows his way around the Zifa corridors having served as Zifa board member finance but was suspended in 2015 for allegedly plotting against then president Cuthbert Dube.
Surely, the past two weeks have provided a lot of debate about the direction Zimbabwean football is heading to, but happily all the rumours, the accusations, and the speculation, will come to an end tomorrow — the day the final candidates for the January 25 polls — will be revealed after two weeks of vetting.
Surely, the likes of Martin Kweza, Philemon Machana, Twine Phiri, Nqobile Magwizi, Themba Mliswa, and Walter Magaya, could have been shaken by the 'objection' letters but that was just a storm in a teacup as those letters are not up for consideration.
Whoever is disqualified from the game that would be through other reasons and not from letters that came from the 'unknowns' who could not even provide their 'proof of residence or contact details'.
Yes, we have heard of the usual big names but there are also many young hopefuls seeking to bring fresh inspiration into Zifa and the Zimbabwean game as a whole.
Alois Bunjira, Thomas Marambanyika, Blessing Mpande, Sibekiwe Ndlovu, Walter Musanhu, Nicholas Munyonga, Harrington Shereni,Tinashe Malunga, and Tizrayi Luphahla, represent a new crop of emerging football leaders whose trademark is their energy and vision, and are ready to change the shape of the Zimbabwean game.
The question, however, is: Will they be able to pass the test by crossing the December 23 bridge and swim into the January 25 Zifa elections ?
What we know for sure is that the field is bigger today — but after tomorrow — it will be smaller, due to the broom of the Zifa Ethics and Integrity Committee which will sweep and send some to the canvas.
* For your comments, views, and suggestions, mkariati@gmail.com or WhatsApp on 071 0774 596 and 0773 276 779 for calls.