Zimpapers Logo

Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
HIGHLANDERS members passed a resolution at their annual general meeting on Sunday that the club appoints a chief executive officer by the end of March.

The club’s secretary-general Emmet Ndlovu has also been acting as CEO since the suspension of Ndumiso Gumede from all football activities in November.

Gumede’s contract expired last month and he subsequently retired from football.

Contributing to debate at the AGM, renowned DJ Ezra “Tshisa” Sibanda said Highlanders must speedily engage a CEO to lead the club’s secretariat and implement targets set by the Bosso leadership.

“It’s high time we have a vibrant CEO for Highlanders to succeed [Gumede]. We don’t need someone who will spend the day in office rather than going out to meet corporates and try to seal deals for the club. Whether there’s sponsorship or not, Highlanders need a CEO,” Sibanda said.

He referred to acting club chairman Modern Ngwenya’s pronouncements at the beginning of January that they were in no hurry to appoint a substantive CEO, as securing sponsorship topped their priority list.

It was the duty of the CEO, Sibanda argued, to seek funding and meet club’s targets which in turn will see him getting a salary.

Former Bosso secretary-general Andrew Tapela weighed in: “We need a CEO who will drive the club. I propose that a CEO be engaged by end of March.”

After listening to contributions and suggestions by members, Ngwenya promised members that they would engage a CEO by the end of March.

In hiring a new CEO, the Highlanders’ executive will have to recommend their preferred candidate to the board, which can either reject or endorse the candidate.

The club’s human resources committee, comprising members of the board and executive, will then deal with contractual issues.

Nhlanhla Dube, one of a few internationally qualified sport administrators in the country, has previously been tipped to lead the Bosso secretariat.

Dube did a Fifa Futuro course alongside PSL CEO Kennedy Ndebele and ex-Zifa CEO Jonathan Mashingaidze.

He is a former Highlanders’ secretary-general.

Another candidate that could be considered is Brian Moyo, a former Highlanders administrator and Zifa education officer.

Nkululeko Ndlovu, a Bosso member, also possesses the credentials to head Bosso’s secretariat.

The CEO will be responsible and accountable for the day-to-day operations of the club. He or she will be expected to deliver the club’s strategy and to implement decisions passed by the congress and the executive.

The CEO will also be responsible for developing and implementing the club’s strategic plan as well as to drive the club’s businesses to profitability.

Whoever gets the job will also have to set-up new and professional secretariat structures.

Good governance requires that there be separation of powers between the CEO and policy formulators, which is the board and executive, so the head of secretariat must be given room to operate and report independently.

Previously there has been friction between the CEO and the secretary-general.

@ZililoR