Story by Lawrence Trusida, Sports Editor
Premier Soccer League chairperson Farai Jere has decided to let football be the winner after accepting the decision of the ZIFA Ethics Committee to bar him from contesting the 25 January Executive Committee elections.
Honourable Jere, former legislator Temba Mliswa, Prophet Walter Magaya and former Warriors captain Benjani Mwaruwari were excluded from contesting the ZIFA elections.
Following his exclusion, Jere quickly sought explanation from ZIFA on why he was omitted from the contesting candidates and was furnished with the details this Tuesday morning.
“I got the response this morning. ZIFA explained to me that I submitted my notice of name change late when FIFA governance had already concluded the vetting process. Before 2000, I used the name Farai Mutimbo and all my Ordinary and Advanced Level certificates bear that name. Then I officially changed to Farai Jere in 2000 and my tertiary qualifications have that name, so the clarity came, but I was disappointed that they could have requested the notice in time and I could also be contested, but remember, everything happens for a reason,” he said.
Quizzed on why he is not exercising his right of appeal, Jere said he wants football to be the winner.
“I am a leader so I have to make decisions not just for myself. I want football to be the winner, not Jere. So if I appeal it means that it’s an emergency interdict to stop the elections until my case is heard. My case is simple and I can easily win it, but the time that will take means I will delay the elections, so is that good for our football? I am a Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Sports chairperson, so I can’t be seen delaying the elections Zimbabwean football needs to heal and move forward to start afresh with new leadership, so I am allowing that to happen because football must come first and football must be the winner.”
Other candidates, including Benjani Mwaruwari, have also been demanding answers from ZIFA, but ZBC News understands that all the four candidates have since been furnished with explanations on why they have been barred from contesting.
The new ZIFA statutes allow an aggrieved party to appeal to a higher body.
However, since the vetting and integrity checks were done and forwarded to world football governing body- FIFA’s Governance, Audit and Compliance Committee, all appeals must be directed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
So far six candidates are set to battle it out for the ZIFA presidency.
These include business executive Nqobile Magwizi, Northern Region chairperson Martin Kweza, former ZIFA board member Philemon Machana, Team Zimbabwe UK CEO Marshal Gore, former PSL chairperson Twine Phiri and former footballer Makwinje Phiri.
