HARARE – Nqobile Magwizi won the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) presidency after a landslide victory in an election overshadowed by allegations of impropriety in the run up.

Magwizi secured 61 of the 77 votes cast (80%), while his closest rival, Phillemon Machana, received six votes. Twine Phiri garnered four, Marshall Gore received one, and Makwinji Soma Phiri finished without a single vote.

Five ballots were spoilt, and the final voter count was later downgraded to 77 delegates by ZIFA Normalisation Committee chairman Lincoln Mutasa after one councillor, Weston Jemwa, took a picture of his voting slip and was immediately disqualified.

Businessman Wicknell Chivayo’s promise to gift vehicles to ZIFA councillors who backed Magwizi raised concerns of vote-buying, casting a shadow over what was anticipated as a chance to reform the association after its one-year FIFA suspension.

Adding to the drama, presidential aspirant Martin Kweza withdrew his candidature on election morning, reportedly under pressure. His exit, sources say, was to avoid splitting votes that could have thwarted Magwizi’s rise.

The election, held at a Harare hotel, was also marred by an incident where a councillor was caught taking a photo of his vote in violation of election rules. Mutasa declared his vote invalid but allowed him to participate in other polls.

Magwizi now faces the immense task of restoring ZIFA’s credibility and addressing the fallout from the controversial election. – Kukurigo