THE Zifa interim executive committee has set itself on a collision course with Fifa after it distributed equipment that was supplied by the world governing body despite being ordered not to.
Earlier this year, Fifa gave Zifa a strong warning to desist from utilising their funds and resources on the grounds that Gift Banda and his crew were not the legitimate leaders of the national football association.
Fifa were forced to write to Zifa after they gathered that the under-fire board had helped themselves to US$108 000 that came from the global body under the administration led by Felton Kamambo.
The Kamambo-led board was dissolved by the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) last year over various charges, which include misappropriation of funds as well as failure to deal with reports of sexual exploitation by female referees.
Zimbabwe was suspended from the Fifa family as a result of government interference.
Sources told NewsDay Sport yesterday that Zifa had started distributing football equipment that was purchased using Fifa funds for Fifa-sanctioned programmes.
The football equipment allegedly is not benefiting the originally targeted recipients, with allegations that the executive committee members are converting some of it to personal use.
The members have been accused of using the football equipment to campaign ahead of next year’s general elections.
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“They have decided to ignore the Fifa warning not to distribute the equipment. This is criminal because the equipment remains the property of Fifa and they have not authorised anyone to distribute it. Some people will get arrested for this,” a source said.
Another source said: “It’s quite interesting that the interim board has decided to distribute the same equipment that the BDO audit said was of poor quality and unusable.”
A member of the Zifa secretariat (name supplied) has allegedly been seen making regular visits to the Zifa Village in recent weeks, where the equipment is kept.
“We have seen some members who aspire to hold public office hosting football tournaments in their constituencies and distributing the same football equipment to participating teams. The distribution is being done clandestinely,” the source said.
Banda, the Njube-Lobengula legislator, earlier this month held an eight team Under-17 tournament in his constituency, where participating teams received football equipment.
When asked for a comment yesterday afternoon, Zifa acting general secretary Xolisani Gwesela promised to get back to NewsDay Sport, which he never did.
Fifa in July this year ordered Banda to stop accessing money in the Zifa accounts after it emerged that the board members had spent around US$108 000 in one month, some of it as sitting allowances.
They warned that Zimbabwe would attract more sanctions should Zifa continue to access Fifa and Caf funds since no country on suspension.
“Please note that a breach of this directive will be regarded as a violation of the Fifa Council decision dated February 24, 2022 as ratified by the Fifa congress on March 31, 2022 and may subject Zifa or the officials involved to disciplinary sanctions,” reads part of the Fifa letter which was written by Caf general secretary Veron Mosengo-Omba.
“A suspended member association may not exercise any of its membership rights.
“Such rights being defined in Article 13 of the Fifa statutes. Consequently, Caf hereby directs Zifa to immediately cease using and accessing any funds deposited by Fifa or Caf in the Zifa accounts.”
Kamambo has also warned Banda against distributing the football equipment, saying doing so would strain future relations between Zifa and Fifa.
The suspended Zifa boss last month wrote through his lawyers Rubaya and Chatambudza stopping Banda from distributing the equipment, saying that would destroy evidence after allegations that the board had purchased poor quality football equipment.
“Having previously helped yourselves to an amount equivalent to US$108 000 before you were directed through a letter by Caf and Fifa, we are at a loss as to why you and your grouping would proceed to agree to share the equipment from a donor (Fifa) who has not authorised you to do so and who has previously stated that they do not recognise you as the legitimate leaders of Zifa and directed times without number that you should not utilise their resources,” the lawyers representing Kamambo wrote.
The equipment was, according to the BDO report, purchased for US$791 171 and is critical evidence to prove or disprove its quality.
Kamambo and two other board members Philemon Machana and Bryton Malandule were suspended by the SRC in November last year for charges including misappropriation of public funds.
A year down the line, no arrests have been made.
An interim board led by Banda was installed mid-year, but Fifa has refused to acknowledge the changes.
The world football governing body has insisted that Kamambo and his board be reinstated as a condition to have the suspension on Zimbabwe lifted.
Fifa also want SRC to withdraw its fraud case against the suspended board who were arrested for writing letters on Zifa letterheads while on suspension.
