Two candidates from the 25 January 2025 ZIFA presidency elections have challenged the outcome at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland.
Nqobile Magwizi was declared the winner with 61 votes out of 76 ballots. However, Twine Phiri and Philemon Machana claim that third-party influence affected the election, swaying the result in Magwizi’s favor.
Phiri and Machana, represented by Method Ndlovu of Ncube Partners law firm, allege that businessman Wicknell Chivayo promised to buy Magwizi a new Toyota Land Cruiser 2024 edition if he won and also offered US$10 million in funding to ZIFA, contingent on Magwizi’s leadership.
They also claim Chivayo promised to buy a brand new vehicle for each voting councillor if Magwizi won.
The candidates also allege that government minister Tino Machakaire influenced the vote by publicly endorsing Magwizi.
Phiri, the former Premier Soccer League chairman, and Machana, a former ZIFA board member, want the election results nullified and a new election organized.
They are seeking a declaration that third-party influence rendered the election illegitimate.
Machana and Phiri are also calling for a fresh election, with the councillors who voted in the previous election to be barred from voting, as they believe their votes are tainted.
They further request that Magwizi be prohibited from standing as a candidate in the new election.
One of their key arguments is that a councillor was caught attempting to take a picture of their completed ballot to prove to their paymasters that they had followed instructions. They said:
<blockquote>
No wonder why one voting delegate was caught taking a photo of his cast ballot while in the voting booth. This was meant to show his handlers how he had voted.
The probabilities are that he and his fellow voting delegates were under pressure to show third parties how they had voted.
That means they did not exercise their right to vote freely. In other words, they did not vote according to their conscience.
</blockquote>

Pindula News

Two people are upset because they think the winner of the ZIFA presidency election cheated. They say a rich man promised the winner a new car and a lot of money for ZIFA. They also say a government minister told people to vote for the winner. They want a new election and they think the winner shouldn't be allowed to run again. They say some voters were forced to vote a certain way. They want the election results cancelled and a fair new election to happen.

Two ZIFA Candidates Challenge Magwizi Win, Take Dispute To Court Of Arbitration For Sport

Football players in the Kenyan topflight league clubs have refused to play football until the deadlock between the country’s government and FIFA has been resolved.
Like Zimbabwe, Kenya was banned by FIFA over government interference in the administration of the game.
The two nations are banned from taking part in any FIFA-sanctioned event and were booted out of continental competitions for both the national teams and the clubs.
Kenyan football teams have taken a stand to stop playing in the topflight league, hoping to force their government to mend its relations with FIFA.
According to the Nation, Gor Mahia chief executive Raymond Oruo read a joint statement from the 18 topflight clubs, saying the teams would only honour fixtures when the current standoff between FIFA and the Kenyan government is resolved.
The clubs on Wednesday said they would not take part in the 2022/23 season. Oruo said:
<blockquote>
We will not take part in any competition that is not recognised or sanctioned by world governing body because it is really a waste of investment and time and very little return coming through.
</blockquote>
He said the failure of Kenyan club Tusker to participate in the Caf Champions League was one of the issues which informed their decision.
In Zimbabwe, football players have been taking to social media to express their frustrations at the ban on Zimbabwe by FIFA, also hoping to influence the local authorities to act to get the ban lifted.
Recently, the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) said getting the ban lifted was not one of its priorities, but would rather press on with its ZIFA restructuring exercise which could culminate in elections next year.
FIFA previously indicated that it will endorse the outcome of the ZIFA elections stressing that the ban can only be lifted if ZIFA board members Felton Kamambo, Philemon Machana and Bryton Malandule are reinstated.
They were fired last year when SRC dissolved the board last year over alleged maladministration.
<h2><a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a></h2>

Footballers In Kenyan Topflight League Clubs Refuse To Play Over FIFA Ban

Former Warriors coach Zdravko “Loga” Logaruisc’s contract with the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) was not performance-based, it has emerged.
According to The Sunday Mail, the contract guaranteed the 55-year-old Croat more than US$200 000 in salaries and perks during his short-lived tenure.
Logarusic’s contract, which ran from February 2020 up to Sunday last week when he was sacked, entitled him to an initial US$6 500 salary, which was raised to US$7 800 in his second year. He also enjoyed some good perks that came with it.
ZIFA paid the Croat US$30 500 signing-on fees before his unveiling in February 2020, with an additional US$6 100 being paid this year for the same purpose.
He also became the first Warriors coach to be paid 10 per cent of the US$550 000 of the Africa Cup of Nations qualification bonus, which translates to US$55 000.
This is despite the fact that it was Chicken Inn coach Joey Antipas who set the foundation for the Warriors to AFCON. The Chicken Inn coach got nothing for his efforts.
Loga will be paid US$20 000 as severance pay for getting the sack since his contract was terminated before three months’ notice was given.
Acting ZIFA vice president Philemon Machana defended the contract, claiming the Croat had managed to bargain for his package.
Machana, who is also a ZIFA board member in charge of finance, denied allegations that Loga was sharing his wages with members of the executive.
Loga’s immediate predecessors Sunday Chidzambwa and Joey Antipas, respectively, were never offered anything close to what the Croat received from ZIFA. Machana argued it wasn’t necessary to compare. He said:
<blockquote>
You don’t say, as an example, if someone comes in and bargains for a better package, you cannot return and say, ‘why are you giving my successor ten times more?’
As ZIFA, we are open to constructive criticism, but it is bad when some people make unfounded claims that Loga was sharing his salary with board members without providing any evidence to substantiate that.
People should not lie and just try to destroy other people’s characters for the sake of it; those with evidence of corruption must prove it.
</blockquote>
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.sundaymail.co.zw/zifa-logas-dodgy-deal">The Sunday Mail</a></h4>

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