Zimpapers Logo

Lovemore Dube Senior Sports Editor
JUSTICE delayed, is justice denied. That old English adage could be true to scores of Zimbabwean footballers, administrators and referees engulfed in scandals in the Midlands and with the senior national team in recent years. Referees implicated in the Centralgate football scandal will know their fate next month if Zifa lives up to its word. Several referees and administrators were suspended from the game in 2012 following allegations of match manipulation in favour of one Central Soccer League side. The race to the Premiership involved Hardbody of Gweru and Beitbridge’s Tripple B who had been involved in a tight race eventually won by the Midlands side.

The race was punctuated with drama and allegations that Hardbody had paid a Bulawayo-based match commissioner to help work with referees to manipulate results to their favour. The former referee agreed even in court that he was a match-fixer.

Later Tripple B joined the fray with regional body’s bosses accused of being on the Beitbridge side’s corner as the race entered the final straight.
Some of the affected referees Saidi Phiri and Reginald Buhali recently wrote to Zifa requesting resolution of their case on October 2.
Their case was heard in 2012 but no determination was made leaving the promising referees to remain grounded.

In his response to e-mailed questions on Tuesday, Jonathan Mashingaidze, the Zifa chief executive officer, said: “The fate of the referees implicated in the Centralgate, namely Godfrey Moyo, Saidi Phiri, Milton Moyo and Reginald Buhali will be determined next month, when the association will be favoured with the determination by the committee charged with handling the cases. Once the Committee has made a ruling, the association shall implement the position thereof.”

Mashingaidze reiterated Zifa’s position on match-fixing which he said would not be entertained at all.
While other referees fingered in match-fixing had their suspensions lifted and were now practicing, the four Bulawayo officials alleged to have been victims of factionalism in the city, were suspended following allegations that they were collecting money and passing it on to Milton Moyo.

It is alleged that Milton was involved in Division One league appointments, the inducement was meant to see the referees get more matches.
The three are alleged to have been involved in collecting money from fellow referees from schools tournaments and Division One matches, a charge they deny.
Phiri said they were clean and had just fallen victim to turf wars.

“We have always maintained our innocence, if there is a case let them prove it with their findings. But as far as we are concerned there is never a time we were found collecting such monies and witnesses never stood by those allegations on us,” said Phiri.
He said they had lost two years of officiating and as long a time in their progression.

“We are not getting any younger, we are losing time yet the association stays mum on our case,” said Phiri.
The disciplinary committee led by Custom Kachambwa has in the past held on to its findings because Zifa had not paid them for the sittings which saw them travel to Bulawayo and the Midlands cities of Gweru and Kwekwe.

According to a source close to the proceedings, there were no bona fide findings against them and Zifa was happy with the delays to save face as some will either reach retirement age or die in the process.

Zifa board member responsible for match officials, John Phiri said he was worried with the delays but was however hopeful that the matter would be resolved soon.
“Their place is on the football field if they are cleared. If they are found guilty they should be kept away from the game to protect its integrity. We are worried to have football people who are not involved because of long pending cases. I am sure the secretariat will deal with that soon,” said Phiri, a former Zimbabwe international on Tuesday afternoon.

It is alleged some of the affected people are suffering from the consequences of the 2010 Zifa elections.
Meanwhile, the association shall maintain the “ zero-tolerance” stance to match-fixing, illegal betting and general corruption.

Former Zifa Southern Region boss Gift Banda and his Midlands counterpart Patrick Hokonya were suspended on allegations of being interested parties in the promotion of Tripple B.
Banda has since quit soccer and has been rising in politics where he is now the Bulawayo deputy Mayor.

Hokonya despite allegedly being cleared last year, is yet to get official communication from Zifa while Banda suspended for also taking football matters to court, is yet to get a transcript of his hearing which should guide his appeal.
Some new Zifa board members have publicly called for a ceasefire in hostilities for the game to move forward.