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Sports Reporter
THE Lifelong Footballers Trust of Zimbabwe met in Harare on Saturday and passed a vote of no confidence in the ZIFA Board and the ZIFA Council. After their indaba, the LIFT released the following statement:

“Following the demise of football in the country ever since Cuthbert Dube got into office, a meeting was held at Raylton Sports Club Hall where it was unanimously agreed that the entire ZIFA Board and Council must leave football matters forthwith.

“The meeting set up a task committee of five members and they prepared the following resolutions:

Cuthbert Dube must resign forthwith

The Ministry of Sport, Arts and Culture must, through the Sport and Recreation Commission, appoint an interim committee to run the affairs of football in this country in preparation for legitimate ZIFA elections as the initial election that ushered Cuthbert Dube into office were politically determined by Amos Midzi and Webster Shamu who told Tapiwa Matangaidze to withdraw.

All Asiagate victims must be allowed back into football as the penalties are too harsh, and the rules and procedure were not properly followed, the reason why FIFA refused to uphold the penalties.

A Commission of Enquiry on Cuthbert Dube’s plunder of PSMAS and ZIFA must be set up.

Cuthbert Dube must be accountable for the ZIFA debt

Calling on the Office of the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe to come to the rescue of the beautiful game

Minister Andrew Langa to leave office as he has failed to discharge the duties with regards to the SRC and ZIFA.

Order has to be restored in the country and in football, all people fanning and working to advance factional ulterior motives like Amos Midzi, Webster Shamu, Andrew Langa, Jonathan Mashingaidze, Cuthbert Dube and their imposters in the regions and provinces must leave the football structures.

A vote of no confidence in the entire ZIFA Board and its Councillors who constitute the Electoral College is unanimously passed.”

The LIFTZ said Dube’s rise to become ZIFA president was a political project, in line with the factional issues that have dominated the countdown to ZANU-PF’s Sixth National People’s Congress, and they believed the game’s challenges needed a political solution.

“The Chairman (Francis Zimunya) decried factionalism at 53 Livingstone Avenue. Factionalism is the reason why some meetings are called by Mashingaidze, with the blessing of Dube, and held while the other members of the board are in the dark,” they said in a statement.

“Names of those who ushered Cuthbert Dube into office were said to be Amos Midzi, Webster Shamu and VP Mujuru, prompting the house to call for a political solution.

“The recent elections were characterised by highly prohibitive nomination fees designed to manipulate the electoral process in the incumbent’s favour, in this case Dube.

“Cuthbert Dube chose to go to Brazil yet he does not attend local matches. Dube could not attend parliament when he was summoned before the portfolio committee on Sport, Arts and Culture that amounted to contempt of parliament but he was not punished.

“The house was told ZIFA money funded the Brazil trips yet the national teams had no funding and they starved players in camp.

“It was brought to the attention of the house that Dube’s administration inherited from the Nyatanga board a debt of US$600 00 but that has since ballooned to seven million at a time when the national teams failed to fulfill some assignments or even engage in meaningful friendlies.

“Cuthbert has to answer where the money went and to account for the grants from FIFA.

“The house heard that Minister Langa defended Cuthbert Dube and refused to take appropriate action, showing they are allies.

“Chris Sambo reminded the house that Dynamos is not going to participate in the Champions League because of lack of resources. Such is the case with our administration that they cannot come to the rescue. Dube is no longer a brand but a liability in Zimbabwean football.

“The house also took note of children who were nine, when Dube got into office, their football careers suffered a stillbirth as they were never given any opportunity to excel (at international level).

“The clubs must sign a vote of no confidence in the current board. The house undertook to come up with a document to be taken to ZANU-PF Harare Province for onward transmission to Congress.

“The house moved there is need to respond to Dube’s communication to FIFA by coming up with a comprehensive outlay of issues which Dube is trying to hide from the world governing body.

“The meeting proposed that ZIFA has to be disbanded in its entirety and the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture must direct the Sports Commission to implement the provisions of the Act.

Failure to submit audited accounts warrants the Sports Minister to direct the SRC to administer the SRC Act and dismiss the board.”