Zimpapers Logo

Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter

CAPS United vice-president Nhamo Tutisani is surprised by the suspension pronounced on him by the suspended ZIFA board and has instructed his legal team to look into the allegations that have been laid against him.

Tutisani is among the football leaders that were served with suspension letters by Joseph Mamutse, the ZIFA chief executive who is also suspended by the Sports and Recreation Commission.

The letter, addressed to his club CAPS United, said Tutisani has been “provisionally suspended from all association football activities, pending finalisation of the disciplinary proceedings.”

The letter also carried an express directive to replace Tutisani in the Green Machine structures with immediate effect. However, the CAPS United boss yesterday questioned the allegations levelled against him.

“I am yet to sit down with my partner, Farai Jere, but the club and company lawyers will surely look into the matter. Right now I am faced with litigation and I have to respond to the allegations because silence would mean that I am admitting to everything that is being levelled against me by default.

“But, honestly I don’t know if they stick because I have not done any of the things they mentioned. It looks like everything was cooked up.

“Whoever is going to be the adjudicator should be thorough because there are too many grey areas,” said Tutisani.  

The Green Machine boss has five allegations raised against him and these include:

Convening several unauthorised ZIFA meetings with targeted ZIFA congress delegates (evidence and witnesses shall be led)

Fraudulently acquiring and using without authority minutes of ZIFA Executive Committee (proof is the use by petitioners of those minutes in various correspondence with stakeholders and third parties)

Fraudulently usurp as a ZIFA congress delegate the powers of a member of ZIFA to call for an EGM by acting without express authority of the said member. Section 28(2) of the ZIFA constitution is very clear that only ZIFA members can call for an EGM and not congress delegates

Undermining the authority of bona fide ZIFA Executive Committee by refusing, ignoring and or rubbishing official enquiry communicated to yourself through the general secretary.

Bringing football into disrepute and causing alarm and despondence through several press statements wherein you alleged several unproved transgressions on the current ZIFA board, made utterances that the current board was holding football at ransom, that their days in office were numbered, that the current board members were intimidating congress delegates through written threats all along knowing this to be untrue and without any shrewd of sustainable evidence.

Apart from dismissing these allegations, Tutisani, who is also a shareholder at the Green Machine, said he would also need to get more legal advice on whether the suspension was valid or not.

 “At CAPS United, I am an appointed director and in the event that I am incapacitated, the shareholder can appoint a replacement.

“In the same vein, please note that I am not a member of ZIFA or PSL, but CAPS United is. So I am not sure if the suspension should be directed to me or to CAPS United. I am still seeking legal guidance over that matter.

“This suspension will obviously affect our operations if it comes into effect. In the event that this goes too far, as a sports administrator, I think I have so many options to consider. I am not just a football administrator, mind you. But I don’t think it will get to that level.”

Tutisani said domestic football needed all the stakeholders to put their heads together to weather the current storm.

“As councillors, we need to sober up, collective effort is needed to revamp our football. We have to stop politicising the matter and put football ahead of our personal interests. In the end football, and football alone, should be the winner. “I also think this is the time we should all be supporting the initiative by the Sports Commission. I am sure they meant well when they announced that they would want to give our football a reboot,” said Tutisani.

Tutisani’s sentiments came after Zimbabwe Women’s Football chairperson, Barbra Chikosi, had poured cold water on the suspensions being instituted on the football administrators.

Dynamos chairman Isaiah Mupfurutsa, Highlanders’ Johnfat Sibanda, PSL chief executive officer Kenny Ndebele, ZIFA acting chief executive officer Xolisani Gwesela and Warriors team manager Wellington Mpandare were also served with suspension letters and are facing different allegations.

The 27 ZIFA councillors that called for the convening of a special ZIFA EGM and three board members — Sugar Chagonda, Jere and Chikosi — have also been sidelined in the purge. Chikosi, however, challenged the legality of the meetings and the decisions taken by the suspended ZIFA board which now has three active members, Felton Kamambo, Phillemon Machana and Bryton Malandule.

 “I have noted with great concern that three (3) of my colleagues in the suspended ZIFA Executive Committee, namely Felton Kamambo, Phillemon Machana and Bryton Malandule have purportedly suspended ZIFA employees and officials at a meeting held on the 29th of January 2022.

“I would like to confirm that despite being an executive committee member, I was not invited to this meeting and the meeting was not held as per the dictates of our constitution which require a 14-day notice.

“The suspensions are therefore null and void. I also would like to distance myself from all the meetings that are said to have taken place after our suspension by the SRC on the 16th of November 2021.

“I would like to urge my colleagues in the suspended ZIFA Board to behave in a professional way and not these tendencies of dividing the football family,” said Chikosi.