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Lovemore Zigara, Midlands Correspondent
ALL is set for the Zifa Central Soccer League (CSL) elections to choose a new chairman.

The elections will be held at Bata Club in Gweru tomorrow.

Three candidates are vying for the regional top post which fell vacant following Felton Kamambo’s elevation to the Zifa board.

Inaugural Central Region chairman, Patrick Hokonya, Stanley Chapeta, the current region board member administration and Whawha chairperson Musa Ntonga are competing for the top post.

According to information gathered by this paper, the election is likely to be a two-horse race between Chapeta and Hokonya. Chapeta finalised his whirlwind campaign with a return to Matabeleland South for the third time in as many weeks which is widely regarded as the determinant factor on who is going to win this election.

The CSL board member took his campaign to Beitbridge for the first time where he donated football equipment comprising of three soccer balls, goal nets and training bibs to ZRP Beitbridge before making the same donations to clubs in Gwanda.

Speaking at the handover ceremony in Beitbridge, Chapeta said he had found another sponsor who is willing to pour funds to sponsor a knock-out tournament and fund junior development initiatives.

“Like I have been saying before, we have a lucrative sponsorship which will be unveiled as soon as I win the elections. The donations that I’m making now are courtesy of the sponsor. Let me hasten to say that I’ve engaged another sponsor who also wants to partner the CSL once I’m voted into office. He has expressed interest in sponsoring a knock-out tournament and also in supporting grassroots development,” said Chapeta.

While the regional board member was making donations in Matabeleland South, Ntonga was reportedly canvassing for support in Kwekwe which is a perceived Chapeta stronghold.

In her manifesto, she pledges to attract sponsorship to the region and says she is in negotiations with a kit manufacturer to avail match and training kits to football teams.

“We need a sponsor for the league and a major trophy which will see clubs participating. Outstanding players should be rewarded at the end of the season and my wish is to have a soccer star of the year driving home a car. All teams must have branded home and away kits with the Central Region logo and clubs must be helped to source kits, tracksuits, boots and balls for their fans. I’m currently negotiating for a partnership with a kit manufacturer on production of affordable but quality kits,” Ntonga said.

The former chairman Hokonya, whose manifesto is premised on the need to professionalise the league, had an intensive two-week campaign and said he is ready to romp to victory.

“I’m very confident because our manifesto has been well received. We’ve covered ground from the two provinces and the responses we’re getting from the clubs is quite positive. We’ve been presenting what we think is practical and can be worked out. In this election people know who Patrick Hokonya is and what he is capable of doing for the region. If anything the pressure is on those that are challenging me,” Hokonya said.