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Philip Chiyangwa

Petros Kausiyo Deputy Sports Editor
ZIFA councillors converge in the capital this morning for a special congress that could define the direction that national football will take against the background of a crippling $6 million debt that has stalled development of the game over the years.

After a number of procedural flaws were cited over their June 4 indaba, the councillors reconvene today with the only item set to dominate debate being the bid to declare insolvency and apply for sequestration at the High Court.

With a huge debt pegged at $6 million, ZIFA’s viability has always been a subject of debate within the domestic football circles, but with no solution seemingly in sight to clear the debt that has been mounting with each passing year, the Philip Chiyangwa leadership believe dissolution is the only solution.

Chiyangwa will preside over the indaba that also comes against the background of recommendations from the High Court, FIFA and the Government over how best ZIFA could go about their bid.

The Harare property mogul was yesterday confident that the assembly, whose councillors began trooping into Harare last night, would find lasting solutions to the crisis that has pegged back ZIFA’s operations.

“As things stand we can only meet and talk about the only item on the agenda which is dissolution. Anything else outside of that agenda would have to be for another day and another place.

“All the councillors have begun assembling for the meeting and I want to assure all Zimbabweans that they have been sentiments here and there about what we are doing, but whatever decision that we will arrive at tomorrow, it will be in the best interest of the game,’’ Chiyangwa said.

The ZIFA president also appealed for calm in football and for his executive to be given a chance to execute the mandate of developing the game.

“I took the presidency of ZIFA to primarily promote football and develop the sport and that is the mission that I have and that is the mission which the assembly has. People need to give me a chance to purse that mission.

“Whichever direction football will take will be determined by the assembly, but so far I am proud that I have led Zimbabwean football to a level where we are the only nation in the Southern African region to have qualified for the African Cup of Nations in Gabon.

“There are some big teams that have not qualified for this tournament,’’ Chiyangwa said.

Today’s meeting also received the endorsement of the Sport and Recreation Commission with acting director-general Joseph Muchechetere expressing optimism that the ZIFA councillors will make reference to their constitution as they go about their deliberations.

“We hereby acknowledge receipt of your communication dated 20 June, 2016 to the Sport and Recreation Commission (SRC) in respect of the invitation to notice and agenda for the extraordinary congress of ZIFA to be convened on 9 July, 2016 at HICC,” Muchechetere said in a letter to Chiyangwa.

“We also wish to express our appreciation for the move you have taken to abide by our advice and for following ZIFA Statutes in calling for the special congress/EGM to deal with the dissolution issue. We thank you for your understanding and co-operation.”

After their June 4 resolutions torched a storm the ZIFA assembly will reconvene at the Harare International Conference centre knowing they have a chance to rectify the oversights they made in setting up the National Football Association of Zimbabwe.

Crucially for Chiyangwa, world soccer governing body FIFA recognises him as the legitimate leader of the domestic game and have been communicating with him over ZIFA’s bid to disband.

In one such communication, FIFA director of legal affairs Marc Villiger and the word body’s head of corporate legal Oliver Jaberg also indicated that ZIFA needed to pay due attention to the country’s and the association’s statutes.

“After a thorough analysis of the facts reported in this context (request regarding the liquidation of ZIFA and the establishment of NAFAZ) we kindly inform you that generally the liquidation of the Zimbabwe Football Association seems permissible and shall be governed by the terms of its statutes regarding its dissolution as well as in accordance with the terms of the applicable laws of Zimbabwe.

“In following the correct process for the dissolution of ZIFA in accordance with its statutes and the applicable laws of Zimbabwe, this will also allow for the establishment of a new football association . . . that must have the capacity to sue or be sued in its own name and have a constitution which governs its conduct.

“Moreover we would like to highlight that the establishment of this new association is a separate process which means that initial elections will have to take place for all the necessary positions and bodies of the new football association.

“Furthermore we highly recommend that ensuring that the winding up process of ZIFA is properly observed and adhered to by all officers and persons associated with and employed by ZIFA.

“It is important that all parties involved in the winding up of ZIFA comply with the requirements according to the applicable laws and that the respective process is transparent and engages the relevant stakeholders who would be affected by the dissolution of ZIFA.

“If the process regarding the dissolution of ZIFA and the establishment of a new association are duly adhered to, FIFA would accept the transmission of the membership rights within FIFA from ZIFA to the new football association (NAFAZ) as compatible with the FIFA Statutes and the Swiss law, e.g a respective process of resignation and new admission of FIFA (cf. art. 10 and 16 of the FIFA statues) will not be necessary,’’ FIFA said.