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Tawengwa Hara

Ricky Zililo Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE’S football flagship, Premier Soccer League, has written  to Zifa seeking the football motherbody to postpone their elections to a later date so that they conclude their constitution amendment process.According to the calendar for Zifa 2014 elections, PSL members are supposed to vote for their leaders on February 23, a day after holding their annual general meeting.

The PSL’s Constitutional Review Committee met at the weekend after the Sport and Recreation Commission had confirmed Zifa’s constitution to finalise on their document so that it is in line with the national football motherbody’s.

In an interview yesterday, the PSL Constitutional Review Committee chairman Tawengwa Hara confirmed writing to Zifa saying they are in the process of sending the draft constitution to its members.

“We wrote to Zifa requesting for permission to conclude our constitutional review process which is underway. We also asked for authorisation from the Zifa Electoral Committee to postpone our elections so that we discuss the constitution with members at the annual general meeting on February 22 because we are in the process of circulating the draft.

“The PSL already has a constitution but the changes that will be made will have to be in line with the new Zifa constitution, especially now that PSL has been given 16 seats at the Zifa Assembly,” said Hara.

Besides the 16 seats that PSL has been allocated at the Zifa Assembly, Hara said the other issues that need to be clarified in the new PSL constitution is corporate governance.

Zifa communications manager Xolisani Gwesela confirmed receipt of PSL’s request and said they have forwarded the letter to their legal representatives.

“We received a request from PSL and it is with the legal advisor, Ralph Maganga. Zifa will respond in due course,” Gwesela said.
Hara, a seasoned lawyer and football administrator who was part of the Zifa Constitutional Review Committee that worked on the national football body’s constitution said there was a need for clarity in terms of roles and responsibilities in the Premiership.
The new PSL constitution will distinguish the roles of governors as well as the secretariat.

He said the constitution will seek to give PSL governors, who are the custodians of the league the power to run the affairs of the league through the secretariat.

Expectations are high that the new governing document will address the issue of who can represent the club at the PSL meetings as well as Zifa Assembly.

Should this happen, then it means that club secretaries will no longer be allowed at governors’ meetings. This means that Webster Chikengezha (board member finance) and Hara, who is Chicken Inn’s secretary is the outgoing PSL board member responsible for competitions will not be eligible to stand for any Premiership posts.

Already, Dynamos have taken a lead on the matter of who will represent them at PSL, notifying the league that only their club chairman Kenny Mubaiwa will stand for elections.

Mubaiwa is targeting the chairmanship position and is likely to battle it out with incumbent Twine Phiri.