Former ZIFA president Felton Kamambo and other suspended executive members have advised interim ZIFA president, Gift Banda, against distributing football equipment purchased using FIFA funds.
Kamambo and fellow board members Philemon Machana and Bryton Malandule recently wrote a letter to Banda warning him that distributing the equipment will strain future relations between ZIFA and FIFA.
The letter, which was written by the lawyers representing the suspended board members, Rubaya and Chatambudza, reads:
It has come to our clients’ attention that at a meeting dubbed “The ZIFA EGM” you arranged and attended together with your colleagues and subsequently resolved to distribute football equipment purchased using FIFA funds strictly for FIFA-sanctioned programs despite previous communications from FIFA and CAF that you are to desist from utilising their financial resources.
Having previously helped yourselves to an amount equivalent to US$108 000 before you were directed through a letter by CAF and FIFA, we are at a loss as to why you and your grouping would proceed to agree to share the equipment from a donor (FIFA) who has not authorised you to do so and who has previously stated that they do not recognise you as the legitimate leaders of ZIFA and directed times without number that you should not utilise their resources.
The Kamambo-led ZIFA executive was suspended by the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) in November last year over allegations including misappropriations of public funds.
Banda and his team were appointed in the interim but FIFA rejected the move and demanded the reinstatement of the suspended board members.
Early this year, FIFA banned Zimbabwe from the international football family as a result, citing government interference. | NewsDay