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Tadious Manyepo, Harare Bureau
FAVOURITE, Farai Jere, swept into power as the Premier Soccer League chairman when he edged rival Lovemore Matikinyidze in a close contest in Harare yesterday with the new boss pledging to implement what he promised in his manifesto.

The Harare businessman says he will revolutionise the Premiership, during his time in charge of the league, with emphasis being placed on the league acquiring its new home and doing away with renting properties.

He also wants closer ties with the South African Premiership and one of his first moves will be to see those who are in charge of the league across the Limpopo to pick some vital lessons on how he can change the face of the top-flight league.

Jere, who polled nine votes to Triangle United chairman Matikinyidze’s seven, will be deputised by Chicken Inn’s Lifa Ncube who was unopposed for the vice-chairman’s position.

Zifa electoral committee chairman, Vusiliziwe Vuma, whose committee presided over the poll, said apart from the absence of governors from Herentals and ZPC Kariba, who failed to vote, the election had gone on smoothly.

Herentals and ZPC Kariba representatives arrived late at the meeting, well after the roll-call had been done and voting had taken place.

“We had two absentees, so we had sixteen people voting. There was a two-point gap between the winner and the loser, so it was a tight contest indeed,” said Vuma.

“Everything went smoothly and the polling was free and fair, no complaints and no problems encountered.’’

Zifa chief executive, Joseph Mamutse, the association’s communications manager Xolisani Gwesela, reported by a blogger to have rushed to Brazzaville with the Warriors kit, and technical director Wilson Mutekede, were among those who observed the elections.

But the day no doubt belonged to Jere.

The Caps United majority shareholder had to fight long and hard in an election in which those who opposed him, including some members of the PSL secretariat, claimed he was just a pawn of Zifa chairman, Philip Chiyangwa.

He told the media, soon after his election, that he was going to hit the ground running to implement the vision he has for the PSL.

He insisted that one of the key areas would to work on ensuring a close working relationship between Zifa and the league.

“In working together with Zifa, I have a feeling that we can benefit more, you know we are much stronger if we work together,” said Jere.