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Charles Mabika

Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
LEGENDARY radio and television soccer commentator Charles Mabika yesterday hinted that he could run for the Zifa presidency in elections set for December 5. As the hunt for a person to lead Zimbabwean football begins, four names have so far been touted as possible replacements for the ousted Cuthbert Dube.

The election comes in the wake of an unprecedented withdrawal of the entire Zifa board’s mandate by the association’s councillors on Saturday after Dube had tendered his resignation but sought to continue leading the soccer mother body until December 5.

Mabika was coy when asked if he would throw his name into the hat.

“Will come back to you as soon as I’m ready. Don’t worry, you’ll be the first to know,” he said.

However, Mabika who sits on the Fifa Ballon d’Or voting panel, might fall foul of the Zifa rules that stipulate that anyone seeking to run for the top domestic football post must have held a football leadership position for a minimum of five years at any level.

Caps United president Farai Jere’s name was also thrown into the fray yesterday alongside that of former FC Platinum boss Nathan Shoko.

Jere, who comes from Zifa’s biggest affiliate, the Premier Soccer League, will be favourite to land the top post if he decides to run.

According to Article 38 part three of the Zifa constitution, only members of Zifa may propose candidates for the office of president. Members shall notify the general secretariat in writing of the name of a candidate for the presidency of Zifa at least 30 days before the date of the congress.

Zifa has 10 members that make up 58 delegates with voting rights. Members of Zifa are clubs of the PSL, the regional leagues, the provincial leagues, area zones, National Association of Primary School Heads, National Association of Secondary School Heads, National Association of Tertiary Institutions, the Zimbabwe Women’s Soccer League, beach football and futsal football.