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CLEARING THE WAY . . . ZIFA Electoral Committee vice-chairman Tendai Madzorera (left) shares a lighter moment ith the association’s chief executive, Jonathan Mashingaidze, soon after their final discussions in Harare yesterday ahead of the December 5 elections.

Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
ASPIRING ZIFA presidential candidate Trevor Carelse-Juul was yesterday cleared by the ZIFA Electoral Committee, paving the way for him to contest in the December 5 elections.

The Electoral Committee met at Cresta Oasis Hotel in Harare yesterday to come up with the final list of candidates to run for the ZIFA presidency, vice president and four board member posts up for grabs.

And 16 candidates were confirmed for the upcoming elections following the withdrawal of seasoned administrator Elkhana Dube, who had submitted his papers for the vice-president’s post, early this week.

Carelse-Juul’s candidature was left hanging last Saturday during the vetting process by the ZIFA Electoral Committee and the South Africa-based businessman was ordered to provide information proving that he has been resident in Zimbabwe.

According to the ZIFA constitution article 32(4) “the members of the executive committee shall have already been active in football administration for at least five years, must not have been previously found guilty of a criminal offence as defined under national criminal law and have residency within the territory of ZIFA”.

They also asked for his fingerprints and police clearance addressed to the committee by Tuesday to satisfy the requirements, which he did as the Electoral Committee yesterday approved his candidature.

ZIFA Electoral Committee chairperson Selo Nare said Carelse-Juul had provided them with all the required information.

“Let me in passing indicate that there has been talk about Trevor-Juul’s passport that was to prove the issue of residency. The papers he presented to us legally proved the issue of residency and we were satisfied that he qualified to enter the ring and battle it with the other contestants.

“The other issue that we raised was that of fingerprints. He had fingerprints taken and submitted to the police here in Harare and the police came up with a certificate to say there were no records of him being a criminal.

“The issue of his suspension, yes (we were aware of it) but the Sports Commission did not pursue that suspension. And in terms of Article 14 relating to suspension it reads that ‘a suspension shall be confirmed at the next congress by two-thirds majority of the valid votes cast. If it is not confirmed the suspension is automatically lifted’. This is the ZIFA constitution. It was never pursued by the Sports Commission neither was it brought before us.

“We sat down because he had submitted a page not his passport but there were letters relating to his house’s title deeds and all the necessary things that you are asked when you get to the bank like say proof of residence, that is what we required.

“We analysed the word residency and according to him he was staying here in Zimbabwe, he is a businessman and he is always up and down and a lot of people do that, they live here, move out and we considered the word residency within the jurisdiction of ZIFA, it’s the area we looked into.

“We gave that leeway for the papers to be submitted up to Tuesday, they were submitted and the final decision with every document before us was today,” said Nare.

Carelse-Juul will battle it out for the ZIFA presidency with ex-Premier Soccer League secretary-general Leslie Gwindi, Harare businessman Philip Chiyangwa and former national team player James Takavada.

For the vice-president’s post, there are two candidates – former Dynamos chairman Lincoln Mutasa and Omega Sibanda – following the withdrawal of Dube.

Former referee Wilfred Mukuna, beach soccer chairperson Joseph Musariri, CAPS United board chairperson and lawyer Lewis Uriri, Eastern Region chairperson Piraishe Mabhena and Southern Region chairperson Musa Mandaza are vying for the four board member posts up for grabs.

They will be joined by former Lengthens director and Harare City councillor Beadle Gwasira, former Division One club owner Jackson Munyaka, women’s football club owner Philemon Machana (who owns Conduit), former Warriors player Edzai Kasinauyo and Central Region chairperson Felton Kama- mbo.

Nare said of the initial 17 candidates, Dube was the only one who withdrew and the other 16 met all the requirements to battle it out in the December 5 elections.

Dube had successfully filed his papers but withdrew from the race citing lack of support from the Southern Region where he hails from.

“In actual fact there were 17 candidates, one dropped and the rest were successful. He (Dube) actually submitted his resignation from the nominations.

“The committee meticulously went through the papers and it comfortably satisfied that the named candidates qualify to run for the position they have been selected for. In the circumstances therefore all the positions are therefore contested and hence there shall be elections for all the vacant positions on the 5th of December of the year 2015,” said Nare.

All the Electoral Committee members attended yesterday’s meeting including vice-chairman Tendai Madzorera.

Carelse-Juul’s agent Stanley Makombe said they are excited about the latest development.

“The Electoral Committee has finally approved Trevor Carelse-Juul to be a candidate for the ZIFA elections. Obviously we are excited with the positive news coming from the Electoral Committee as we had indicated that all his papers were in order.

“And with this news Trevor would like to thank the Electoral College members and fans who have been giving him support during the period of uncertainty,” said Makombe.

Makombe said Carelse-Juul will be coming to Zimbabwe in the next few days to finalise his campaign strategy..

Meanwhile, Eddie Chivero, who is acting as Philip Chiyangwa’s election agent, has filed an appeal challenging the acceptance of Juul’s candidature insisting they are not satisfied that he meets the requirements such as holding a valid Zimbabwe passport and a clean police record. The apeal has been lodged with the ZIFA Appeals Committee.