FIFA has ordered ZIFA to hold elections “as soon as possible”, dismissing the national football governing body president Phillip Chiyangwa’s claims that he still has two more years to serve.

In its response to questions sent by our Sister paper the Chronicle, FIFA Tuesday morning confirmed the end of the present ZIFA executive committee’s term of office, revealing that they communicated their position last month.

“We can confirm that FIFA has sent a letter to ZIFA on 24 April informing them that given that the current ZIFA executive committee inherited the four-year mandate of the previous executive committee under Mr Cuthbert Dube that began in March 2014, elections of a new ZIFA executive committee should take place as soon as possible in accordance with the ZIFA statutes and regulations. Consequently and in accordance with article 2 letter C of the Zifa Electoral Code, the incumbent ZIFA executive committee remains until the next election. We have no further comment,” reads FIFA’s response.

The development leaves ZIFA’s legal representative Itai Ndudzo with egg on his face, following his protracted arguments that Chiyangwa was given a four-year term when he was voted into office in December 2015 to finish off Cuthbert Dube’s term.

Ndudzo had claimed that there is no constitutional provision for a term less than four years, hence his view that the current leadership will stay in their positions until four years have lapsed.

Two ZIFA board member Felton Kamambo and Piraishe Mabhena resigned, saying the board’s term ended on March 31. In a desperate move to cling onto power, the Zifa board co-opted the executive women’s football chairperson Rosemary Kanonge to form a quorum.

PSL emergency committee chairman Kenny Mubaiwa declined to legitimise the ZIFA board by turning down the offer to join the executive committee.

FIFA’s response vindicates the Sports and Recreation Commission, which wrote to Chiyangwa at the beginning of 2018 ordering ZIFA to hold elections.

The SRC and football stakeholders made up of former ZIFA presidents wrote to FIFA highlighting their displeasure at operations of the national association as well as deliberate flouting of the constitution.

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