THE fires continued to rage in the build-up to ZIFA’s December 1 board elections with the association yesterday officially writing to the pair of Felton Kamambo and Gift Banda, rejecting their desperate bids to overturn their disqualifications from the poll.
Kamambo and Banda have been barred from contesting for the president and vice president’s positions with outstanding bans that hang over their heads coming back to haunt them.
Both men have previously served on the ZIFA board, but had acrimonious departures from the domestic game’s highest administrative body.
Former Central Region chairman Kamambo had been suspended for three years, just a month after he quit the ZIFA board in March.
Banda who was Southern Region chairman had earlier in 2011 been slapped with a ban for his alleged role in the Central-gate match-fixing scandal.
The duo has been making spirited bids to have their candidacy reinstalled and filed notices to challenge their disqualifications via the Appeals committee.
But ZIFA chief executive Joseph Mamutse in separate letters told Kamambo and Banda that their appeals could not be entertained on the basis that they were already suspended from taking part in any football activities including elections.
“We acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 5 November 2018 and contents have been noted. We regret to advise you that we are unable to release this information to an individual who is banned by the association and as long as the ban subsists the association cannot entertain you on any football activity, elections included
“We thank you for your understanding. Please note that you can visit our office only on appointment,” wrote Mamutse.
The ZIFA chief executive also advised Banda of the technicality that had thwarted his appeal. ZIFA’s election period, dubbed the “mad season” somehow always produces some different sound bites as the battle to control the national association gets to be intense at board level. Banda in sending his notice of appeal had cited 23 concerns which he wanted the association to attend to including releasing such as information the address of the domestic soccer mother body’s headquarters. Observers have however, dismissed the appeals by Kamambo and Ganda.
Curiously in his 23-point demands, Banda also sought to know the address of the ZIFA headquarters and to be furnished with copies of the electoral code.
Banda also wanted the electoral committee chaired by lawyer Vusilizwe Vuma to among other demands furnish him with :
Copy of ZIFA rules and regulations.
Copy of FIFA Statutes
Copy of FIFA electoral code
Copy of FIFA code of ethics among others.
