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Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter

THE ZIFA Congress members that called for the special Extraordinary General Meeting claim that they are being intimidated by the association’s suspended board, who are fighting tooth and nail to make sure the meeting does not happen.

The indaba, which is due to be held on January 29, was set after 27 members of the congress delegates appended their signatures to a petition calling for the indaba.

Top on the agenda is the state of Zimbabwean football and the intended revocation of the mandate of the failed ZIFA board that is led by Felton Kamambo. The board currently is under suspension from the Sports and Recreation Commission.

Zifa chief executive officer Joseph Mamutse is also serving suspension and Competitions and Communications Manager, Xolisani Gwesela, has been holding fort as acting head of secretariat for the past few months.

However, the suspended board last week came out with guns blazing and declared the proposed special EGM a nullity.

The suspended chief executive stands accused of intimidating the members after writing to each one of them and giving an ultimatum that lapses tomorrow interrogating them about their involvement.

ZIFA Northern Region Division One chairman Martin Kweza, who has been designated by the members to lead their quest, said the actions by the ZIFA board were unconstitutional and tantamount to intimidation.

“Our concern in all this is that there is an element of intimidation by the suspended board. Ever since the notice was given, with all the supporting documents attached to it, no one has come out to say that his/her name is on the petition against their consent.

“The constitution is very clear in terms of Article 28 (2) that members have the right to call for the EGM.

“So what they are doing right now is not consistent with the provisions of the constitution.

“Further note, our letter was correctly addressed to the acting CEO, who has appropriately replied to our communication, in terms of the constitutional provisions. Any communication other than from the acting CEO is a fuss and legal nullity, and will be duly ignored.

“So barring the machinations by the suspended board, the EGM is going ahead as planned,” said Kweza.

The members of the congress have since written to FIFA about their intentions and have furnished the world football governing body with all the documentation.

They have also written to FIFA referencing the state of the football in Zimbabwe, leading to the decision to go ahead with the EGM.

“The members resorted to this route after noting correspondences from the ZIFA Board members which alluded to the fact that, they were indeed suspended by SRC and hence incapacitated to carry out, any of their duties, see attached Appendix A & B, highlighted areas for your easy of reference.

“Ordinarily it is the preserve of the Executive Committee to call for congress meetings, and in particular and for an extraordinary meeting within 90 days, from the date of request by a one-third of members.

“The current circumstances are however peculiar, as the Executive Committee remains indefinitely suspended and unable to discharge their fiduciary duty to the members.

“There can never be any reason, why the members cannot proceed and call for the meeting as provided under Article 28(2) without waiting for the expiration on ninety days, when it is common cause that the Executive Board in suspended and cannot carry out its functions,” wrote Kweza.