The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) has resumed its constitutional review process in order to align its statutes to FIFA and CAF statutes and in line with changing times and complexities of the game.
In a statement released today, ZIFA also hit back at its critics who cited hidden and non-football agenda in the whole constitutional review process.
“The last ZIFA constitution was last amended in 2013 and there is therefore need to refresh the now outdated supreme laws of our game locally. ZIFA would like to abundantly state that this noble and necessary exercise which is being monitored and have the full backing of world football governing body FIFA, was stalled in 2020 due to Covid-19 challenges. It is now proceeding virtually in full compliance with Covid-19 regulations.
“The Association would therefore want to allay any fears that there are hidden non-football but personal agenda in respect of this process and that a committee put in place for that purpose has been mandated to spearhead the process in line with the Association’ constitutional provisions. It is expected that the committee will present its draft to the ZIFA council during the 2021 Annual General Meeting.” said Xolisani Gwesela, Zifa communications manager.
He said the association is disappointed some dishonest individuals who want to disrupt the process.
“It is extremely disappointing that while FIFA is pushing for the updating of our statutes, some unscrupulous elements would want to derail this process notwithstanding such is best practice. While even the SRC is pushing for the amendment of its own SRC Act and has already started the process.
“The Zimbabwean constitution has also been reviewed and justifiably so, a couple of times and it is mind boggling that ZIFA is questioned when it undertakes a similar exercise. The same is with Caf, Fifa statues which are always reviewed to reflect the current demands of our present realities to the extent that even the Cosafa constitution has recently been amended in the last 2021 AGM held in February 2021.
“Any suggestion that the Zifa constitution must stay stagnant can therefore only be ill driven and anti-football progression. The Association however, can only promise its valued football loving stakeholders that while this process shall be transparent it shall however follow the dictates of the current Zifa constitution with respect to constitutional reviews.” he said.
ZIFA, Gwesela said “wishes to clarify some misinformation being peddled in some social media circles which suggests that the elective congress of ZIFA is in March 2022. This position is misleading and false as the next Zifa elections are to be held in December 2022 after the full four year (4 ) year duration of the current office bearers as is dictated in our statutes regarding terms and duration of office bearers.”
