Martin Kweza has big plans for Zimbabwean football. The man that has led the Northern Region Division One Soccer League to score many success stories, wants to elevate the national game so that Zimbabwe can be a world class football country.
Kweza is one of the six candidates for the Zifa president post, which will be contested in a ballot on January 25.
To many, Kweza is the hot favourite for that post having honed his skills over a period of 25 years in the game's structures.
The Northern Region Soccer League chairperson is in the race for the country’s biggest football job along with five other contestants who include Marshall Gore, Philemon Machana, Nqobile Magwizi, Twine Phiri and Makwinji Phiri.
Under Kweza’s watch, the Northern Region Soccer League transformed into an attractive brand, which lured lots of corporate companies and also drew large crowds to the second tier league matches.
Kweza believes that through the strategic pillars of transformation, which include commercial revenue, football infrastructure, junior football, women football as well as training and human capital development, he can achieve his vision of elevating Zimbabwe to a world-class footballing nation by 2030.
“The vision and the mission is to elevate Zimbabwe to a world-class footballing nation by 2030, fostering unity, excellence, and sustainable growth at all game levels. To implement a comprehensive transformation of Zimbabwean football by addressing systemic challenges, building inclusive opportunities, and promoting professionalism and integrity,” Kweza said in his manifesto.
“As I put my name forward for the position of president for the Zimbabwe Football Association, I am alive to our shared goal, a goal to resuscitate our football, a goal to rebuild, a goal to rise from the ashes and ultimately a goal to re-establish our football led by a competent football association which I intend to lead for the next term of office.
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With regards to the key pillar of commercial revenue, Kweza is of the view that Zifa must be run as a business complete with corporate values that are inspired and anchored in the national vision which is consistent in the collective aspirations and determination of the people of Zimbabwe as espoused in the National Development Strategy 1.
It is also Kweza’s desire to see the association benefit from TV rights, which he describes as a low hanging fruit for any football association.
Junior development would be a key focus in Kweza’s administration.
“A robust junior football structure that cascades to all provinces and is run by the Zifa technical director through solid partnerships with Naph and Nash will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the most popular sport in the world. It will go beyond honing technical skills; it will be about nurturing young talents, instilling values, and fostering a passion for the game.
“This structure will be run for the Under 15s, Under 17s and Under 20s. My administration will encourage every PSL team including Women’s teams to have Junior teams, which are for dress rehearsals but play competitive football. Our junior football structures will see a comprehensive process of identifying, nurturing, and training of young Zimbabwean talent to become proficient footballers that will represent their country in regional and international youth competitions,” he said.
Kweza’s heart is fixed on women football and vows to fight for equal pay and allowances for both the men and women national team players. There will also be zero tolerance to any form of discrimination and harassment against women especially any form of sexual harassment.
“Through my participation in the crafting of the existing Zifa constitution, I played a pivotal role in pushing for more Women representation in congress for a mere 4 women sitting in council to the current 21. I was and still am convinced that we should see more women involved in Zimbabwean football including introducing for the first time ever in Zimbabwean football history a woman vice president,” he said.
Kweza plans to build Zifa headquarters which is in line with international best practice through the Fifa forward development fund.
The plan is to resuscitate community football grounds in partnership with local councils and schools which will then host lower division football matches and youth football matches.
