There is now financial stability at Zifa: Machana Philemon Machana

Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
INCUMBENT Zifa executive committee member in charge of finance, Philemon Machana says they have brought financial stability at the association with stringent internal controls that has seen the association eat only what it would have killed.

Machana, who is seeking a mandate to continue in the executive committee, said gone are the days when people would be allowed to plunder the game’s meagre resources while those who were supposed to benefit like employees and players were left stranded.

Machana will square off against five other aspiring candidates, Sugar Chagonda, Chamu Chiwanza, Barry Manandi, Stanley Chapeta and Bryton Malandule for the four posts.

“Zifa has been stabilised. There is now financial discipline and internal controls have been strengthened to safeguard funds and assets of the association. Salaries are now paid on time and employees now focus on work not madhiri. Audited accounts are produced every year. Fifa funding restored after turning around the systems at the FA. We eat what we kill and have strived to live within our means. The days of free looting are long gone with focus on transparency and accountability,” said Machana.

He said he has brought some professionalism in the finance and administration of the association and heaped praises on the councillors, the presidency of the association, the government, the football administrators and technical teams, the public and football supporting family, partner corporates and the professional football players for the unwavering support they have given him during the past two years.

“I have learnt a lot and the next level, if elected is to now move into more investment in grassroots, junior and women football. Infrastructure development is also going to be another area of interest. We are ready to grow the game and I am still keen to play a part. l am going to push that as Zifa we also release Fifa funds to all affiliates for their developmental programs and during the December 1 annual general meeting I will push for a resolution that all those affiliates who are owing the association in terms of outstanding affiliation fees to have those debts written off to enable them to start on a clean slate. This will allow for them to now receive these developmental funds since they will be now clean and in good standing,” said Machana.

The run up to the Zifa elections has seen the disqualification of aspiring presidential and vice presidential candidates, Felton Kamambo and Gift Banda as well as Mlungisi Moyo who wanted to run for a committee member’s post.

The trio were disqualified for among other reasons, failing the integrity tests as well as being wrongly nominated.

Article 10 of the Zifa constitution defines who are members of Zifa. Among these are “ the clubs of the PSL and Article 12 then stipulates their rights and it says “ to nominate candidates for all bodies of Zifa to be elected.”

Article 38,3 then says only members of Zifa may propose candidates for president . A PSL governor is not a member of Zifa, it is a club that is a member so nominators must have indicated which club they represented.

The trio are said to have been nominated by someone who said he was a PSL governor but did not name the club he was representing.

“So it really could have been anyone, the law does not act on assumptions,” said an observer.

Electoral Code Article Six mandates committee to strictly enforce Fifa, Caf, and Zifa statutes. Article Nine says eligibility criteria must comply with regulations of Fifa and Fifa governance regulations talk about integrity checks which are also found in the Fifa code.

If an association does not have an ethics committee then it can use an independent institution to do the integrity test. Zifa brought on board the Zimbabwe Anti Corruption Committee to do the integrity test.

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