eBusiness Weekly
Chipo Sabeta
ZIFA president Felton Kamambo says the suspension of vice president Gift Banda, is a loud message to the football fraternity of his new thrust to administration as he sticks to the ZIFA constitution and adherence to the rules of the game.
The Bulawayo-based football administrator was suspended on Wednesday for reshuffling the Warriors technical team without Kamambo and other board members’ blessing.
Banda made the changes when Kamambo was in Senegal for the CAF awards last week. He replaced assistant coaches Lloyd Mutasa and Rahman Gumbo with Tonderai Ndiraya and Bongani Mafu respectively. He also brought in Doctor Nicholas Munyonga.
For that reason, ZIFA says Banda usurped the powers he does not have by appointing support staff to national teams in breach of Article 34 (a) of the ZIFA constitution.
“I am not doing this because I want to spite my colleagues. I promised Zimbabweans to be transparent and do things properly. I will not be afraid to crack whip when one violates the constitution. This decision was made by the board and we will try at all cost sto send this message loud and clear,” he said.
“I promised to lead Zimbabwe football to greater heights with support from CAF, FIFA, Government and the corporate sector and I agree. The idea is to be open with our operations from the top level to the bottom,” he said.
In his election manifesto, Kamambo, among other things, promised to right all the wrongs done by the current Philip Chiyangwa-led board and to bring a transparent and successful administration.
Kamambo became Zifa president after beating Chiyangwa by 35 votes to 24 in the national football motherbody’s elections on December 16.
In a statement, Kamamba outlined how Banda has violated the constitution and that he will be suspended from football related activities from Wednesday this week until further notice.
“The ZIFA Executive Committee hereby informs members of the football fraternity and the nation of the decision of the Executive Committee on January 16, 2019 to suspend/ ban Vice President Hon. Gift Banda from taking part in any football activities with immediate effect.
“This is as a result of acts and/or omissions on his part which constitute serious breaches of the ZIFA constitution as well as its rules and regulations as defined by Articles 1.2, 1.3 and 1.4 under document 3, ‘Rules relating to misconduct and disciplinary proceeding’ of the ZIFA rules and regulations,” the statement read.
“Allegations and misconduct against Banda included; illegally and unilaterally without authority of the Board, unconstitutionally usurped the powers of the Executive Committee as enshrined in section 34 (k) of the ZIFA Constitution that delegate the sole responsibility of appointing National Team Coaches and other technical staff to the ZIFA Executive Committee and not individuals.”
“He illegally, unconstitutionally and against the ZIFA Rules & regulations (document 2, ‘regulations on the allocation of functions to standing committees Article 2.11”) again without authority, usurped powers of the Technical development standing committee whose role is to among other things recommend coaches, instructors and trainers to the Executive Committee thus bringing confusion, disorder and chaos to the smooth administration of our game.”
Banda is also accused of misrepresenting facts to the media, public and stakeholders by issuing a press statement.
“Honourable Banda wilfully misrepresented, lied and misled the public, stakeholders and the world during his press statements that the ZIFA executive Committee made the decision to fire coaches and made new appointments knowing fully well that it was not true thus causing disaffection on the Board, its Councillors, the public, the National Team, Coaches and stakeholders.
“By so doing he brought our game and the Association into disrepute at a time the Association is busy cleansing itself of all ill manners and attempting to attract corporate sponsorship.
“His utterances were widely circulated in both mainstream and social media and attracted a backlash on the Board on a decision it never reached.
“Banda caused a publication of a falsehood that the Head Coach of the Zimbabwe Men Senior National Team Sunday Chidzambga was the architect or agreed to change his backroom staff when he knew this was entirely false,” the statement read.
