Hope Chizuzu
There’s no rain without thunder, some of us even fart while urinating, it is natural and FIFA president, Giani Infantino, wasted no time in congratulating new Zifa supremo, Nqobile Magwizi, to underline a new chapter, in this most read book – football, The Page has learnt.
Infantino, in his letter to Magwizi said he expects to build and strengthen football relationship with Zifa in the aftermath of the suspension and judicial management (NC).
While the letter was arriving, Magwizi was on his first plane to Morocco, ahead of today’s AFCON 2025 draw.
Before he left, he chaired his first Exco meeting in the capital, with some important decisions already made to ensure the steam train rolls into life, in the era of electric trains.
Something has to happen fast, more so, after the election, which had its fair share of drama, with some losing candidates, raising and hell and heaven in equal measure.
That is the nature of football, but our football needs a break from madness and exert all our national energies towards restoration.
And the new Exco embodies good prospects, with all of them, bar first vice president, Kenny Ndebele and Prof Marambanyika, new to the apex office.
The newer and less experienced the better, because they carry no baggage that could burden their efforts.
Loveness Mukura, the youngest of the lot, brings unbridled purity of purpose to the table.
Tafadzwa Benza, a geek and actuarial scientist with passion for innovation, is a sure bet for all experiments with new projects. He is chiseled for order.
Kudzi Kadzombe, a solid politician with a passion for women empowerment and growth, is an interesting addition to the Exco.
She comes short and straight, having been in the hot kitchen of citizen stewardship in Harare.
She brings enough expectation that Dave Muchena will fleshen up to make football, the battery of life, people cry for daily.
Prof. Thomas Marambanyika, experienced, hardworking and knowledgeable in all matters football, is clearly the boarding master of this ensemble.
If this Exco struggles for ideas or tonic, the MSU professor, should be brought to the vice or account or both.
Alice Zeure needs everyone’s back to be carried on and to leave her alone is to tempt the ghosts, as football needs the team work to unlock her potential.
Brighton “Panjap” Ushendibaba, a humble guy with an open passion for development with a touch of improvisation. If he uses his mazy of inter-connectivity in the corporate, a good stampede of corporates could crowd the game.
Football needs his special qualities, ones which don’t come as open as a chapel.
What our football, in its current state, needs, are qualities, which Punjap has in abundance.
In all this compound, there has to be understanding that the Exco are football stewards, who have between now and 90 days to reconstitute the 78 member assembly – the football parliament, with power and legal authority to make things work.
For the record, the Exco are not members of Zifa and they have no power outside the assembly. In our case, the assembly dissolved itself on Saturday after voting.
Their borrowed power ran its full tenancy on Saturday. And now they have to seek renewal from the Area Zones to regions.
Elections should be held by April and this Exco, led by Magwizi, elected into office on Saturday, will sit in as the electoral committee.
Meanwhile, the noise around promises made by Wicknell Chivhayo to this new Exco have been understood with a political mind.
What Chivhayo has promised is exactly what our football needs. His beautiful gesture should be welcomed with football and not political understanding.
Chivhayo is no stranger to football benevolence. He once did that, coughing a cool USD1 million during Phil Chiyangwa’s reign and coaches like Kalisto Pasuwa, then, benefited with cars and surplus.
It made the right noises then, because people focused on football.
But now, the same people are seeing through political lenses.
These cars Chivhayo has promised, will belong to the FA, and would be entered into the inventory as thus.
That the cars would be driven by say, Zeure or Kadzombe, doesn’t imply they lose the FA brand baptism and seal.
If anything, Chivharo for all the black brash he receives for his benevolence, must be thanked for oiling the football machine.
We don’t need Exco members with cars that have seen enough potholes. Is it not a beautiful welcome for the brand new Exco?
Surely can we see maggots in this as a nation? We don’t have to like Chivhayo to admit the good he has done.
Zifa may have been a den of crooks, but Chivhayo sees hope in Magwizi and the Exco to give them a benefit of doubt.
Let us give football a chance by allowing the Exco the wherewithal to execute their duty in the most comfortable way possible, and not these barbs, we are serving them.
There is no point in judging someone’s short skirt, when your long skirt is being lifted by every men….
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