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Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
THE Zifa board has reinstated all 12 councillors who had been suspended on allegations of masterminding the May 16 extraordinary meeting that passed a vote of no confidence in the association’s president Cuthbert Dube, as well as board members Tawengwa Hara and Fungai Chihuri.

However, Zifa vice-president Omega Sibanda and board member responsible for finance Bernard Gwarada remain suspended pending a disciplinary hearing.

Fifa development officer for Central and Southern Africa, Ashford Mamelodi told The Chronicle Sport from his Botswana base yesterday that all suspended councillors had been reinstated while the two board members have to face a disciplinary committee.

Mamelodi denied reports that the reinstatement was on Fifa’s orders through his office.

“No, we didn’t order any reinstatement. It was the decision of the Zifa board to reinstate them,” said Mamelodi.

He said Sibanda and Gwarada had other charges in addition to allegedly convening the May 16 meeting.

“Board members apparently have other charges that have been preferred against them while for councillors it was just for the meeting.

“That is what Zifa have told us, and as Fifa, we don’t have a position (about the suspended board members). Zifa have to charge them, take them to a disciplinary committee for an outcome to be established. At the moment we can’t interfere with the Zifa process,” said Mamelodi.

More than two weeks after their suspension, Sibanda and Gwarada are yet to receive charge sheets, amid growing fears that Zifa is “cooking up charges” against the duo.

Another board member and chairperson of the Zimbabwe Women Soccer League, Miriam Sibanda is yet to be brought before a disciplinary committee, three months after she was suspended.

According to the Zifa constitution, the executive committee (board) does not have the powers to suspend a person.

Article 34, powers of the executive committee, section (n) of the Zifa constitution, says the board may dismiss a person or body or suspend a member of the Zifa assembly provisionally until the next congress.

The executive committee says Article 14 may only suspend a member.

Members of Zifa, according to Article 10, are all Premiership clubs, the four regional leagues, all the 10 provincial leagues, area zones, National Association of Primary School Heads (Naph), National Association of Secondary School Heads (Nash), National Association of Tertiary Institutions, the Zimbabwe Women Soccer League, beach football, futsal football and any legal or natural person wishing to become a member of Zifa, who would have applied in writing and accepted by the congress.

Meanwhile, Fifa have ordered Zifa to call for a full assembly meeting on July 25.

Omega, Miriam and Gwarada are constitutionally allowed to attend the indaba to present their cases before the full assembly, which will then decide, through a secret vote, whether to endorse their suspensions or not.