For the first time in Zimbabwean football history, a significant number of women have taken the initiative to challenge for positions in the Zifa board.
The women, 11 in total, already have a guaranteed position of the association's vice president as the conditions at hand are clear that one of the two vice presidents should be a woman.
Joice Kapota, one of the candidates for the vice presidency says she was encouraged by this opening in the board to contest the elections.
"The moment I heard that there was this position of vice president, I felt this was a challenge I should take," revealed Kapota
Kapota is joined by Patience Mutumwa, Marvis Gumbo, Loveness Makura, and Winner Murota in the fight for the vice presidency.
Gumbo was at a funeral when The Sports Hub sought to know why she got into the race having been in Zifa before but Mutumwa was straight to the point.
"I grew up in football as my father played for Bata Power and is now a coach. As a result, I have been into football since childhood and have lived in football ever since. I am a qualified sports administrator and employed as such," said Mutumwa.
What is more heartening is that all the women lined up for positions have served successfully in various fields with Kudzai Kadzombe having served as City of Harare deputy mayor, Gumbo having previously been the chairperson of the Zimbabwe Soccer League a position that made her a member of the Zifa Board.
Joice Kapota was a member of the Caps United leadership during its happy days of 2004 and 2005.
Six of the women Kadzombe, Alice Zeura, Cecilia Gambe, Sabelo Maposa, Sinikikwe Ncube, and Beaular Musara are in a heavy battle where they want to take a slice of the six slots on offer in the board.
They even think they can take the whole cake against 30 men with distinguished service to football. However, others think the seats should have been shared 50/50 between men and women.
"The constitution was unfair in that regard. There should have been a provision for three men and three women. Otherwise, one day, we will have six men or six women as Zifa board members," joked football critic Admire Muhimeke.
Kadzombe, who runs Dutch Academy in Harare offered her interests when thrust into the board, "My focus is on reviving junior football. We need to have a conveyor belt system that starts from schools going up to the Warriors and the Mighty Warriors," said Kadzombe.
Happily too is that the women also have another seat on the board as they have an automatic place reserved for the chairperson of the Zimbabwe Women's Soccer League.
The chairperson of the Zimbabwe Women's Soccer League along with that of the Premier Soccer League are automatic members of the Zifa board by virtue of their positions.
On that premise, it would be expected that the women's football assembly will elect one of their own rather than a man to lead women's football and an extra representation in Zifa.
Sadly, though, none of the women was prepared to take the risk and challenge for the Zifa presidency.