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Augustine Hwata Senior Sports Reporter
THE Sports Commission have described the nomination fees set by Zifa for their forthcoming elections as “excessive, unfair, discriminatory and inconsistent with the basic tenets of democratic governance” and ordered that they be slashed and brought to the levels of the last elections in 2010.

The directive is a slap in the face of a Zifa secretariat that has been issuing shrills of defiance in recent days as opposition to their outrageous resolution that candidates intending to take part in the association’s polls could pay as much as US$10 000, grew around the country.

Zifa have plunged into an election season set to culminate in polls for the board members on March 26 next year and the association’s chief executive Jonathan Mashingaidze, recently announced that those who wanted to contest the polls could pay as much as US$10 000 in nomination fees.

Mashingaidze said they wanted to “separate chancers from people who want to serve football” and those who wanted to vie for positions on the Zifa board would have to part with US$10 000 in nomination fees per individual.

Nomination fees for positions on the Premier Soccer League management committee were pegged at US$5 000, those interested in positions in the leadership of women’s football would part with US$2 500, regional positions will attract a US$1 500 nomination fee, US$1 000 for the provinces and US$100 for the area zones.

Mashingaidze said Zifa were weighed down by a huge debt and had fixed the nomination fees having considered that the elections had to fund themselves, but the high fees sparked an outrage that vibrated from the football fields into Parliament.

Former PSL chairman Tapiwa Matangaidze, who sits on the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, last week asked the Sports Commission to look into the fees which he felt were meant to bar many people from seeking office and at the same time protecting the incumbents.

During their board meeting before the 2013 Annual National Sports Awards, the Sports Commission tabled the issue of the Zifa elections where a resolution was made to order a downward review of the nominations fees.

Sports Commission director-general Charles Nhemachena yesterday issued a statement ordering Zifa to review their exorbitant nomination fees.

“At its meeting held on December 11, 2013, the Sport and Recreation Commission board considered, among other things, Zifa’s submission relating to ‘election fees,’” Nhemachena said in a statement.

“The board noted with concern that the set fees were excessive to the extent that they were beyond the reach of many aspiring candidates who had the potential to contribute effectively to the administration of the association and the development of football.

“The SRC Board considered the fees to be unfair, discriminatory and inconsistent with the basic tenets of democratic governance.”
The irony of it all is that the same poor people that Mashingaidze described as “chancers” who should be shut out of the Zifa election system next year, are being described by the Sports Commission as people who have “the potential to contribute effectively to the administration of the association and the development of football.”

The Sports Commission, Nhemachena said, understood that Zifa intend to raise over US$1million of which more than half the amount was meant to cover the direct costs of holding the elections.

“The SRC further noted that the association intended to raise $1,095,450.00 of which $685 000 was meant to fund accommodation, allowances and meals,” said Nhemachena.

“While noting that it was not the responsibility of the candidates to fund the elections process, the Commission questioned the prudence in the manner in which Zifa intended to apply the resources.

“In view of the above, and taking into account representations made by some football stakeholders, the Commission resolved that the fees as set were unacceptable.

“Zifa would, accordingly, be advised to review their fees downwards and using the fees charged in the build-up to the 2010 elections as a basis,” he said.

At the last election in 2010, the Zifa candidates for the presidency deposited US$500, while for the Premier Soccer League and Regions US$400 was set for aspiring candidates.

Elections for the provincial offices demanded that aspiring candidates pay US$300 and US$200 for area zones and districts but, still, there was a huge outcry from people who felt the fees were high back then.

The move by the Sports Commission to order Zifa to review their nominations fees comes just a week after they also wrote to the football association seeking clarity on Zifa’s failure to appear before a Parliamentary Portfolio Committee.

Zifa have since insisted that they never received any invitations to appear before the legislators.
Yesterday, Zifa communications manager Xolisani Gwesela, said the issue would be better handled by the committee they put in place to organise the elections, which is in sharp contrast to his boss Mashingaidze, who has been speaking freely on the same issue.

“Usually we do not deal with such matters like the Zifa elections because there is an independent electoral committee in place,” said Gwesela.

“This Electoral Committee and the finance committee are meeting this weekend and should deliberate on the issue. “The association will advise its position thereafter.”

The fees were roundly condemned across the country.
Former Zifa chairman Vincent Pamire, told our sister newspaper, Chronicle, that the nomination fees would elbow out people with football brains, but limited financial resources.

“Honestly, I think these Zifa people are trying to deny other people the right to contest in the coming elections,” said Pamire.
“This is clearly a deliberate ploy which will work against the good of football development.

“Football administration is not necessarily about money but it’s about the brains.
“There are a lot of people with football brains who will not make it because those with money, and not football brains, will go in and in the process it is football that will suffer.”

Zimbabwe Soccer Agents chairman Omega “Omz” Sibanda, described the nomination fees as “absolute nonsense.”
“Football administration is a voluntary thing and these fees that we are hearing are absurd. It’s as if the powers that be are trying to block others by creating an uneven environment,” said Sibanda.

“What I am saying is that they must just let the best candidate stand. These fees are not normal and I suspect that someone is trying to be silly because I doubt very much if those in leadership knew about these fees.”