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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
HIGHLANDERS Football Club members, supporters and sympathisers have come out guns blazing and blasted the Zifa order to stop the Bulawayo giants from holding elections next month.

In an unprecedented move that shook the football landscape, Zifa chief executive officer Joseph Mamutse said Tshilamoya cannot hold its elections without authorisation from the national association.

In a letter written by Mamutse to his Highlanders counterpart Nhlanhla Dube, the association said it had learnt of Bosso’s intentions to hold elections “through the media” and reminded Dube that the club was a member of Zifa and could therefore not hold elections without the association’s consent.

The letter was also copied to Zifa president Phillip Chiyangwa, vice-president Omega Sibanda, Zifa executive committee members and Bosso acting chairman Modern Ngwenya.

“The Zimbabwe Football Association has learnt through media reports that Highlanders FC will hold its elections in February 2018. Please be reminded that Highlanders FC is a member of Zifa and no elections can be held without the association’s authorisation. We also wish to remind the club that Mr Peter Dube (Highlanders’ chairman) is still on suspension and his matter is before the congress and it is therefore improper to hold elections before the finalisation of his matter,” wrote Mamutse.

The letter ignited heated, emotional and angry debate with Facebook being used to express shock at the decision.

Faith Silandulo Dube: This nonsensical stunt from ZIFA stinks to high heavens. Bosso must hold it’s elections as per its constitutional provisions. They illegally suspended Peter Dube and violated his constitutional rights through their kangaroo courts.

Highlanders does not need ZIFA’s authorisation to hold its elections, but its own constitution. The remnants of the past order must know this ! 92 years of football excellence can never be undone by football novices. #WeAreHighlanders.

Ezra Tshisa Sibanda: Chaotic Zifa at it again! This madness is now out of hand. This ill advised decision to tell Bosso that it can’t hold its AGM to choose new executive because the suspension of Peter Dube hasn’t been lifted, is not only criminal but idiotic. Highlanders is not Peter Dube, we are a football team, a community club and Zimbabwean football team not a political party. We are bigger than Zifa itself as an organisation. Your job is to run football not run clubs, you have no mandate on the goings on at the clubs. We won’t allow you to run all over Bosso, let alone use our club as a doormat. We are having our AGM whether you like it or not. If you have no business to do and nothing to say, close your business, offices and go home. Bring it on Chiyangwa and your Zifa, we are Highlanders and we will rather die for this club. Chiyangwa is running Zifa and making decisions alone ignoring Zifa Board. Enough is Enough, withdraw your rubbish letter to Bosso or go to hell.

Methuseli Moyo: Highlanders FC was formed in 1926 at Lonely Mine, aka Gwamazhula in Bubi district of Matabeleland North, by King Lobengula’s grandsons Albert and Rhodes. No doubt Bosso is the oldest football institution in the land, and has survived up to now through its culture and constitution.

For a Zifa that was formed in 1980 and deformed several times in between to try and interfere with Bosso’s constitutionally-enshrined election calendar is criminal and scandalous. Zifa must back off.

Makomborero Mutimukulu: If lunacy were currency Zifa would be millionaires. What nonsense is this? Bosso has its own constitution, their own bible and that’s the supreme law and not some hallucinations by people who want to feel important!

Noel Munzabwa: Disgusting! Someone please remind Zifa that suspending Peter Dube didn’t suspend the term of office. Trying to undo the diabolical effects of that prolonged suspension through such a letter will help us ask the same authority to revert back to the 2011 status quo when the same Zifa kept Gift Banda and Patrick Tichaona Hokonya suspended until their terms of office ended.

Secondly instead of applauding Highlanders for retaining constitutionality through timeous elections, Zifa decides to promote unconstitutionalism by trying to stop due elections.

Think twice Zifa as this decision will certainly backfire dismally. The problem with these Zifa guys is they assume everyone else is ignorant of football statutes

Thomas Biggie Mangwiro Nenge: This is clearly overstepping their mandate.

Clubs are members of ZIFA by association but they are private organisations which have a reserved right to choose their own leadership at their own time in compliance with their constitution.

Bosso is the only club in the PSL that renews its leadership through an election, so how is the knowledgeable Zifa going to supervise elections or leadership renewal at privately owned clubs like Nichrut, Byo Chiefs, Yadah etc?? Or company run clubs like, ZPC, Chicken Inn, Herentals, Triangle, Black Rhinos, Chapungu Byo City???

Are they saying because of their own failure to finalise Dube’s case Highlanders should then violate their own constitution and not hold elections, more so why get so worried about media reports when official organs are there at Highlanders and they are law abiding. When on earth has Highlanders ever done elections without inviting Zifa?

Zifa want to create a leadership vacuum at Highlanders which they started after suspending Dube.

The finality malfunction to Dube’s suspension is right at the door step of Zifa and for them to hold Bosso hostage due to that is not only regrettable but absurd. Elections at Bosso are not about Dube but a constitutional requirement.

Brighton Mandla Mpofu: We will hold our elections no going back.

Sikhumbuzo Ndebele: Highlanders FC annual internal sovereign electoral ritual shall be held in line with Fifa and Caf club licencing statutes at the traditional venue by the observed club membership according to the sole and premier club constitution.

Support services and affiliates shall duly be advised on the successful outcome status of the club on completion of the exercise.

Dumisani Nyongolo Nkomo: Resist Zifa nonsense.— @skhumoyo2000.