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Magwizi Emerges Frontrunner in pending ZIFA elections

After he was endorsed by one of the strongest contenders barred from the cutthroat Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) elections coming in three days’ time, Nqobile Magwizi has now firmly emerged as the clear frontrunner.

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After he was endorsed by one of the strongest contenders barred from the cutthroat Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) elections coming in three days’ time, Nqobile Magwizi has now firmly emerged as the clear frontrunner.

The polls are set for 25 January.

Zifa is the country’s football governing body. Magwizi, who has a strong business, marketing and sports background, got a major boost yesterday when Temba Mliswa, one of the most vocal candidates with solid political and sporting credentials, endorsed him after dropping his court case challenging his own disqualification.

Mliswa was disqualified together with former Zimbabwe national team captain Benjani Mwaruwari, who played in Europe for Manchester City and other clubs, Caps United owner Farai Jere and controversial cleric Walter Magaya who runs a football club, Yadah Stars FC.

Endorsing Magwizi, who was instrumental in securing a multi-million-dollar Sakunda sponsorship deal for local football giants Dynamos and Highlanders, Mliswa, former Norton independent MP, said:

Nqobile Magwizi and Temba Mliswa

“Today i withdrew my urgent chamber application (for an interdict of the elections) because we filed out of time. However, the normal route application remains because it’s important to ensure Zifa upholds its own constitution. Meanwhile, football has won and with that in mind, I hereby endorse Nqobile Magwizi for the post of Zifa president. He has the necessary education and capacity (to run Zifa professionally and successfully).”

The elections have been marred by controversy, court battles and fierce contestations. In the process, four high-profile candidates – Mwaruwari, Jere, Magaya and Mliswa – were disqualified by the ethics committee.

The disqualified candidates are crying foul, claiming they were not formally notified or given reasons for their ineligibility.

They are alleging what they say are procedural irregularities and thick lack of transparency in the disqualification process.

Some of the disqualified candidates can and have appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sports in Switzerland, but that might not change the course of events as the train leaves the station.

The controversy surrounding the Zifa elections has raised many questions about the transparency and fairness of the disqualification criteria, and it remains to be seen how this will all play out as the race heats up ahead of a tight finishing line scenario in 72 hours.

The remaining six candidates in the running for Zifa presidency are:

  • Nqobile Magwizi;
  • Twine Phiri;
  • Marshal Gore;
  • Philemon Machana;
  • Martin Kweza; and
  • Makwinji Phiri

Among these, Gore, who has an impressive professional career spanning over 30 years in football, healthcare, and business, is seen as the closet rival to Magwizi, with Twine Phiri, a household name in Zimbabwean football, also in strong contention.

Zifa is in desperate need of urgent reform and cleaning up as one of the most corrupt, incompetently run and rotten institutions in Zimbabwe which has destroyed local football.

To make things worse, local football has been invaded by corrupt tenderpreneurs who are pouring in dirty money into the game and buying matches.

That is a big scandal – time-ticking bomb – waiting to explode and be told properly.

Zifa’s new leader will have his work cut out for him and would need to hit the ground running from day one; ensure confidence, trust and change amid strong suspicions of bribery, candidates offering more of the same and cynicism among stakeholders.

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