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Musa Mandaza

Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
THE Zifa elections set for December 5 could turn out to be a mere formality if plans by the association’s councillors to push four regional chairpersons into the board succeed.

Sources said the councillors are seemingly agreed that for the sake of continuity, it would be better to push regional chairpersons Musa Mandaza (Southern Region), Willard Manyengavana (Northern Region), Piraishe Mabhena (Eastern Region) and Felton Kamambo (Central Region) into the powerful Zifa board.

There are six vacancies up for grabs in the board, including for the president and vice-president, while the other two will come from the Premier Soccer League and Zimbabwe Women Football respectively.

“We’re agreed to push the regional chairpersons into the Zifa board and if the grand plan succeeds, former Zifa vice-president Omega Sibanda will likely be voted back into his old post,” said a councillor.

Harare businessman and Caps United president Farai Jere is the odds on favourite to land the Zifa presidency if he declares his candidature between today and November 5 when the nomination process closes.

Former FC Platinum chairman Nathan Shoko has also been mentioned as one of the possible candidates for the big post. Former Highlanders treasurer and chairman Themba Ndlela is also a dark horse for a board member’s post, which could scupper the councillors’ grand plan. The regional chairpersons, however, risk being pushed out of football completely if the plan to push them up fails as they would have resigned from their regional posts.

Should that happen, the regions would be forced to hold elections to choose new chairpersons.