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Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
LOCAL football yesterday sunk deeper into murky waters after three Zimbabwe Women Football board members, including board chairperson Miriam Sibanda were suspended indefinitely over a number of charges.

She immediately declared the suspensions null and void.

Vice chairperson, Elizabeth Langa was appointed acting chairperson.

Chronicle Sport is reliably informed that 32 delegates from an expected 45 attended the meeting.

“We suspend Miriam Sibanda, Mamoshe (Ben), Magosvongwe, forthwith and replace [them] with a running committee to see the running of the league until disciplinary committee sits and deliberates on allegations levelled against the three. Also Jerry Mike Gumbo is cautioned not to meddle in board matters. The committee is chaired by Langa, and [Cecilia] Gambe deputising and four regional chairpersons being members of the board. No one should attend the Wednesday meeting called by the illegitimate board,” reads the resolution reached at yesterday’s meeting.

Zifa communications manager Xolisani Gwesela last night said he had not seen the minutes of the meeting and would therefore not comment.

Charges against Sibanda and the duo of Ben Mamoshe and Edwin Magosvongwe range from trying to overthrow a legitimately elected Zifa president, trying to incite the government to intervene in the running of football and ultimately lead to the country being banned by Fifa. Sibanda is also accused of fanning factionalism in Zimbabwe football and launching attacks on Cuthbert Dube and Zifa chief executive officer Jonathan Mashingaidze as well as the technical director Takaendesa Jongwe.

Sibanda last night called the suspension a nullity and non-event.

“That’s a nullity, we’re meeting on Wednesday with regional chairpersons and Super League clubs to plan for the 2015 season,” she said.

The extraordinary meeting of women football councillors, held at the Zifa Village from 9AM yesterday, was however in breach of the Zifa constitution.

According to Article 28 of the Zifa constitution, an extraordinary congress shall be convened by the executive if one third of the members make such a request in writing. The request shall specify the items for the agenda. An extraordinary congress shall be held within three months of receipt of the request. If an extra ordinary congress is not convened, the members who requested it may convene the congress themselves. As a last resort, the members may request assistance from Caf or Fifa. The members shall be notified of the place, date and agenda at least 14 days before the date of the extraordinary congress.

The circular was sent to members on April 17.

Part four of Article 28 reads;

“When an extraordinary congress is convened on the initiative of the executive committee, it must draw up the agenda. When an extraordinary congress is convened upon the request of members, the agenda must contain the points raised by those members and the agenda of an extraordinary congress may not be altered.”

In an unsigned circular calling for the meeting and seen by Chronicle Sport, suspension of Sibanda and board members Mamoshe and Magosvongwe was not part of the agenda.

Sibanda has been a strong critic of Mashingaidze, thought to be behind the coup plans, together with Sibanda’s deputy Elizabeth Langa and board member Cecilia Gambe. Zifa honorary member Cecilia Malunga is also said to be part of the plot.

Gambe and Langa have reportedly been camped in Harare for more than a month now, at a time the national association’s financial problems are well known. It is not clear who has been paying for their stay in the capital.

In one of the charges as written on the charge sheet, Sibanda is accused of misusing $60,000 donated to the Mighty Warriors ahead of the African Games qualifier against Ghana.

“Moreover when they received the sponsorship from Freda Rebecca Mine the money wasn’t made public. The monetary transaction wasn’t put into the ZIFA coffers as required by law. We’re made to understand they got $60, 000. It’s understood that board members Mamoche and Magosvongwe together with Jerry Mike Gumbo distributed monies to the Mighty Warriors each getting $200 and the technical team $400 excluding the head of delegation C Gambe. In the wake of details of unscrupulous behaviour and foul play they sent board member Mamoche to rebook the Ghana national team in the Rainbow Towers after the association had booked the Black Queens at Oasis. The executive board led by Miriam Sibanda was trying to expend the money so as to create figures for the break down. It’s understood that during that period one unemployed board member bought a car and suits in the period in question,” reads the charge sheet.

Walter Magaya’s Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries (PHD) church, also donated money to the Mighty Warriors ahead of their return leg against Ghana.

Sibanda, as the leader of women football in Zimbabwe did not attend the handover ceremony as she said she was not informed as per protocol but instead her deputy, Langa and Gambe in the company of Mashingaidze attended.

Following the suspension of the trio, only two board members now remain, Langa and Gambe. Another board member Trust Kwembeya stepped down a few months after being voted into office but has not been replaced.

Sources on Sunday night claimed that Sibanda was set to be replaced by wife to Gunners president Cuthbert Chitima. Chitima, it is alleged is a senior executive employee at Magaya’s church.

In 2004, eight Zifa councillors were handed four year bans from football after they convened a meeting and resolved to suspend then Zifa chairman, Rafiq Khan.

The late Leonard Nkala, Pharoah Jele, Addmore Nyamuramba, Susan Chibizhe, Francis Zimunya, Aaron Munautsi, among others were all slapped with suspension together with the then Mighty Warriors coach Bennedict Moyo.