Lewis Uriri's response to ZIFA suspension in full

My solicitors in Birmingham, United Kingdom, Genesis Associates Solicitors as well my attorneys in Zimbabwe, Coghlan, Welsh & Guest (both copied herein) have been duly instructed. You will be hearing from them in short cause. I have also taken the liberty of copying my colleagues on the CAPS United Board.

Meanwhile, I make the following points:

1. The decision you have communicated is illegitimate and immediately null and void without further ado. It is not a result of the legitimate exercise of administrative authority. It is, on the contrary, the culmination of a vindictive agenda which has as its purpose the annihilation of the PSL and what it stands for. It is a furtherance of the entrenchment of a regime devoid of vision and strategy to emancipate Zimbabwe football from its present chains. This misdirected strategy of self-preservation abhors independent thinkers. It abhors intelligence. It has been used to hold ZIFA’s institutions captive to the whims of a cartel whose self-serving interests are inimical to the interests of football. You will agree with me that it is this kind of misdirection that has taken Zimbabwe football from the pit it was in on 25 July 2015, and tossed it into a near abyss.

2. You know as well as I do that the decision you purport to be one of the Executive Committee of ZIFA is in fact one made exclusively by Mr. Chiyangwa. He attempted to call me Friday afternoon. He then sent me an email. He thereafter called my President at CAPS United on Friday and expressed the view that I was “fighting” him and threatened to suspend me and or CAPS United. He once again called my President this afternoon to state that he had intelligence to the effect that I was the brains behind the PSL initiative and he would suspend me to illustrate that he occupies a superior seat in football.

3. You will further agree with me that:

3.1 There are no functional structures at ZIFA. This power hungry cartel of bogus administrators has centralized all administrative functions. They have interfered with the Disciplinary Committee. They have rendered the position of the legal advisor installed by Congress, Ralph Maganga nugatory. They have taken over the function of literally every committee. Constitutional functionaries are imposed on the basis that they “voted for me”. Offices are created for unpopular persons who “voted for me”. Those perceived to have “voted against me” have been purged, starting with Twine Phiri. People have been suspended, expelled or banned without due process. All Mr. Chiyangwa does is walk into Congress with a piece of paper from where he reads “Edzai Kasinuyo, banned for five years. There are no objections uto tapedza naye we move onto Musavengana, life ban”. This has been so ridiculous to the extent that it could happen in the face of the Sports Commission Representative at the Congress called to dissolve ZIFA earlier on in the year.

3.2 Congress has lost its authority. Counselors are drawn from ghost structures that are neither functional nor in good standing in respect of their membership obligations and ought properly not to attend congress. These spineless delegates from ghost structures are pampered with resources drawn from the seat of legitimate structures such as the PSL, and are used to blindly endorse the whims of the junta that has taken the national sport hostage. This was one of the reasons why I had offered to stand down as CAPS United FC Governor in May 2016. I had resolved, for this amongst other reasons, to quit football activities on the last day of the season. I just could not stand people sell their souls for the proverbial thirty pieces of silver. Those of us that have had the principle to stand up and speak against inequity and illegality have been the obvious targets of the shameless junta. I must, however immediately point out that I will fight this for principle sake.

3.3 The purported suspension on void allegations and without due process is no more than the perpetuation of a protracted and sustained attack on those perceived to stand in the path of the cartel’s delusions of grandeur. It is not “provisional” as purported. In any event, there has been not even an attempt to convene the disciplinary committee whose decisions are trashed every day by the fascist regime at ZIFA. The reference to “until the next meeting of Congress” is a reference to an ineffectual body the majority of whose members are incapable of exercising any independent thought and voted in the December 2015 poll against the backdrop of inducements that mostly never came! Consider this one aspect: if I convened “an unsanctioned meeting” of the PSL (which I did not) what business is it of this fascist administration? It is the PSL that ought to complain. It is an affiliate and not a member of ZIFA with functional independent disciplinary structures. It can activate its own processes! But then delusions of grandeur have led some to think that they are deities of sorts in football administration.

4. Naturally, I will not submit to the illegitimate kangaroo processes of an administration whose sole agenda is self-preservation at the expense of the national game. I will not be attending the next Congress. Critically, I am aware of the rules of engagement: when one stops adhering to the rules common to the civilised world one becomes a terrorist; and conventional civilised armies do not negotiate with terrorists! You may recall that I told Eddie Chikamhi of The Herald Newspaper in an interview ahead of the heavily compromised December 2015 elective congress that I would not run for football office ever again. I meant it. I don’t depend on football for my livelihood. If anything, I have lost money to football. The only reason I will fight this to the bitter end is that I a man of principle. In short, because Mr. Chiyangwa and his cartel already have Congress’ decision done and dusted before Congress even meets in eight months’ time, you can as well send me Congress’ final decision by return.

5. In short, I refuse to bow to the illegitimate dictates of a demonic administration. Doing so is like trying to appease an evil spirit. The more one does so, the more the foul spirit demands one’s soul, body and spirit. I refuse to sell my soul and integrity. Henceforth, and within the confines of the law, I will fight fire with fire, and thunder with thunder. Diplomacy has not worked, and as Bismarck would say, great matters of the day will now have to be resolved by “blood and iron” within the confines of the law. The battle lines are drawn.

6. Ultimately, history is a fair judge and will vindicate those of us that have refused to stand by and watch the demise of the national game at the hands of fascist administration whose energies are misdirected at killing the game it ought to be promoting. There are still many others in Congress who stand for what is right and just. They will for the time being continue the fight for the return of ZIFA to its status prior to 5 December 2015, when at least there was room for independent thought, expression and independent decision making.

7. I must express my sympathy to you for having to do the devil’s bidding contrary to your better judgment. There are many like you in ZIFA awaiting the day of redemption. That day will soon be upon us.

Kind regards,

Adv. Lewis URIRI
Advocate of the Superior Courts of Zimbabwe
Conciliator and Arbitrator

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“The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree” Psalm 92:12

 

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