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Ricky Zililo and Sikhumbuzo Moyo Sports Reporters
IN five days time Highlanders FC will hold its executive committee elections with candidates vying for the secretary-general position promising to add value to the club if elected. Mabhukudwana Primary School headmaster who is also in charge of Bulawayo’s National Association of Primary Schools Heads, Njabulo Bango, is competing for the secretary-general’s seat against city businessman Donald Ndebele, civic activist Innocent Batsani Ncube, former club medic and manager Emmet Ndlovu and businessman Pilate Mahlangu.

They are all hoping to take over from Andrew Tapela who has completed his two terms.

Bango said; “My main reason for standing is that I’ve been approached by people who feel that I’ve what it takes to add value to the growth of the Highlanders FC brand on the administrative side. This includes keeping club and player records intact.”

Asked if doing so would not look like duplication of roles seeing that Highlanders has a chief executive officer, Bango said he will work within the confines of the constitution.

“I’m a team player and I know I won’t step on the chief executive officer’s toes because roles are spelt out in the constitution. I won’t be limited to updating records as I’ll also help in marketing Highlanders’ vision. I’ll also help in education and communication with our bona fide members and supporters as well as ensuring that as Highlanders we strive to uphold corporate governance,” he said.

Bango spoke about a need for strong volunteer corps who will be deployed according to their qualifications. He said volunteers will be asked to submit curriculum vitaes as well as police clearances to ensure that the Bosso brand is not soiled.

“There’s a need  to come up with blue ocean strategies which is something that has never been done before to improve the club. I’ve never contested in any election and I wish every candidate the best,” said Bango.

He said his many years of service in education as an administrator had groomed him to be an ideal candidate. He emphasised the need for unity saying it was a useful tool that could see the club achieve its set goals of being a leading sporting organisation.

Meanwhile, Ndebele believes his entry into the club’s administrative structures will add value to the club in the face of the corporate world.

Ndebele says he is a “tried, tested and trusted administrator” who has led many organisations before and now feels is the right time to take Highlanders a step higher.

“I’m a businessman and I therefore strongly believe I’ll add value to this institution,’’ said Ndebele.

He said he was committed to building the corporate world’s confidence in Highlanders as a brand. Through his administrative expertise, Ndebele, who lost to outgoing Tapela alongside Emmet Ndlovu in the 2012 elections, has been to Brazil, Taiwan and Angola on business trips with some of the organisations that he has led.

“Soccer is now big business worldwide and to attract the best in terms of corporate engagement, you need a good negotiator, a skill which I believe is naturally in me and through my professional studies. I’ve an appreciation of law, finance and all the dos and don’ts in any business transaction,” said Ndebele.

Asked why he thinks he will do well this time around considering his performance in 2012, Ndebele said the loss was a learning curve which left him a much wiser person.

“When I lost previously, most people said they could not match the name to the person but since then I believe I’ve been more visible within the Highlanders structures and now my chances are just as good as the other candidates,” he said.

Ndebele said he was confident of winning the elections.

As a parting shot, the shy looking Ndebele challenged all the candidates vying for the three posts to donate their $100 election fee to the club regardless of whether or not they manage to garner 10 percent of the votes.

“We all claim to love Highlanders and as such, let the $100 be our donation to the club,” he said.