HARARE — The upcoming Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) presidential election could spiral into a legal quagmire if candidates with conflicts of interest are not weeded out, former lawmaker and veteran sports administrator Temba Mliswa has warned.
“The vetting process must be thorough and uncompromising. If conflicted candidates are allowed to run, this election could become a legal nightmare,” Mliswa said.
Mliswa, a former Member of Parliament for Norton and former CAPS United fitness coach, urged ZIFA’s independent election vetting committee, chaired by former Harare Mayor Muchadeyi Masunda, to enforce strict eligibility criteria to safeguard the integrity of the January 25 poll.
He pointed to several examples of potential conflicts, including candidates who simultaneously hold influential positions in the Premier Soccer League (PSL), who hold positions in Parliament or who own teams in the PSL.
“You can’t own a PSL team and expect to be ZIFA president. If your team faces disciplinary issues, how do you ensure impartiality? Even if you recuse yourself, what stops your vice president from intervening on your behalf?” Mliswa said.
Mliswa also took aim at CAPS United chairman and Member of Parliament Farai Jere, arguing his dual roles were incompatible.
“I know Farai Jere; he is a good guy and so forth. I told him, ‘Jere, as a Member of Parliament, you are conflicted.’ That is why when I was an MP, I didn’t take any other position because Parliament provides oversight—oversight of football and everything. Even when I was a member of the Portfolio Committee on Mines and Energy, I never owned a mine. If my mine was brought before the committee, then what would happen? So you remove yourself from conflict.
“He (Jere) is also the chairman of the Portfolio Committee on Sports, if I am not mistaken. So how does he provide oversight on ZIFA when he is also the ZIFA president? Zvimwe zvacho hazviite (some things are just not right).
“He should resign from Parliament or withdraw from the race,” Mliswa said.
The former Dynamos FC chairman criticised other candidates, including Northern Region chairperson Martin Kweza, who is contesting the presidency without relinquishing his current role.
“Anyone running for ZIFA president should resign from their current positions. He (Kweza) cannot be allowed to compete for the ZIFA presidency and then, if he loses, return to the region and cause chaos for the president… These are some of the legal issues that will likely be challenged in court. I foresee many legal battles arising from this. This is about accountability and fairness,” Mliswa said.
He also raised concerns about candidates allegedly using donations to the sport of football for political leverage during the campaign.
“Nqobile Magwizi claims credit for bucket seats donated by Sakunda, so were they being withheld so that we suffer the indignity of playing our home matches in foreign land and then they now pop up during the election period to serve campaign interests. That’s wrong – those seats belong to the fans, not an individual’s election strategy and in any case if we should be thanking anyone, we should be thanking the owner of Sakunda and not an employee,” he said.
Turning to Prophet Walter Magaya, Mliswa urged voters to question the claims of contributions to Zimbabwean football. He argued that building a stadium on church grounds for personal control is not the same as genuinely donating it to local authorities or to ZIFA, stating that true sincerity would have seen the stadium given to the proper bodies for the benefit of all football stakeholders.
Mliswa, whose history in Zimbabwe sports includes roles as fitness coach for the Zimbabwe national football team, chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Sports, and director of rugby coaching for Zimbabwe – called for greater transparency and adherence to ethics.
“The vetting committee must ensure that only those with clean records and no conflicts of interest make it through. This election is not just about picking a leader; it’s about restoring credibility to Zimbabwean football,” Mliswa said.
“…Some of us have always been vanhu vevanhu (people of the people). That’s why in Norton I worked hard, and when I lost, I conceded. The progress I made there has never been matched, and I’m still making an impact through my foundation. Others remove boreholes they installed after losing, but I’ve never done that,” Mliswa said.
Mliswa warned that unresolved conflicts could lead to court challenges, prolonging instability in Zimbabwean football.
“Legal battles could paralyze ZIFA for months, if not years. Let’s avoid that by doing the right thing now,” Mliswa continued.
“This election will be a true test of people’s integrity and dignity. I’ve said, ‘Ask me anything—even about Susan.’ You can ask me, ‘Shumba, you’re running for president, but we hear you’re not taking care of your child.’ I said, ‘Forgive her.’ I take care of all my children. While Australian schools are free, I still ask for the account details to make the payment. However, I can’t make payments into a personal account—everything must be transparent,” Mliswa said.
As the January 25 election approaches, ZIFA’s newly implemented stricter governance measures will be tested in ensuring a transparent and conflict-free electoral process.
