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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
ZIFA acting president Gift Banda took the association’s re-engagement drive to the region by meeting Cosafa president Artur de Almeida on Monday in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Banda, who was accompanied by the Zifa chief operations officer Xolisani Gwesela, described the lengthy meeting with Almeida as “successful and critical” in apprising the regional body on Zimbabwe’s football developments.

Following the recalling of Zifa president Felton Kamambo and three other board members, Philemon Machana, Bryton Malandule and Stanley Chapeta, in April, the assembly gave Banda the mandate to lead the association’s executive committee.

Felton Kamambo

Mending relations with key stakeholders is viewed as essential towards restoration of Zimbabwean football.

Emerging from the meeting with Almeida that was also attended by Cosafa chief executive officer Sue Destombes, Banda said the regional bloc is important in assisting Zimbabwe towards finding lasting football solutions.

“Without dwelling much on details of the meeting with the Cosafa president, let me hasten to say it was a successful and critical meeting for us in the sense that we had to apprise the region on what’s happening in Zimbabwe. It was important to highlight to Cosafa that football decisions taken by the Zifa councillors in April were in accordance with the constitution.

Philemon Machana

“Another critical item to note from the meeting is that as southern Africa or members of Cosafa, it is important that we find solutions to our problems before escalating them to Caf or Fifa. As we continue with the re-engagement exercise that will take us back to international football, let us not drop the ball and make sure that when we return to international football, our house is in order and we have proper structures that should be the cornerstone of our beautiful game,” said Banda.

Sue Destombes

He could not be drawn into commenting on steps taken to get Zimbabwe’s suspension lifted by Fifa.

“We don’t want to preempt things, but work is being done behind the scenes and you’ll see the results when the time is right,” Banda said.

Before heading to Johannesburg on Sunday, the Zifa board held a meeting on Friday last week where it resolved to co-opt former Highlanders’ chairman Kenneth Mhlophe, Zifa Northern Region’s Martin Kweza and Harare City’s Alois Masepe into the executive committee. – @ZililoR.