Zifa seeks govt support

Sport
ZIFA president Cuthbert Dube is set to meet with Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo in a bid to entice the government to provide land for the construction of the association’s office.

ZIFA president Cuthbert Dube is set to meet with Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo in a bid to entice the government to provide land for the construction of the association’s office. Kevin Mapasure SENIOR REPORTER World governing body Fifa has made funds available for the construction of a three-story facility, but Zifa has been struggling to secure suitable land around the central business district (CBD).

The proposal for Zifa to build their office complex at the Zifa Village in Mount Hampden has been shot down. Dube, who has stepped up efforts to mobilise support ahead of next year’s elections, said he was confident the government would provide a piece of land to the cash-strapped body.

On Saturday Dube was guest of honour at the final match of the Seven Heroes Football Tournament in Selous attended by House of Assembly member for Chegutu West Dexter Nduna and Information and Communication Technology minister Webster Shamu. Dube told reporters after the match that he was making consultations with the government in a bid to secure land in Harare’s CBD.

“We have been doing a lot and now we want the construction of the Zifa office to begin. What has been holding us is that we have not managed to secure a suitable piece of land,” Dube said. “But I am confident we will get government support after the offer by Fifa to fund the project. I have already lined up a meeting with minister Chombo to make a formal request.

We do not have money to buy land and we do not want to demolish the existing structure, Zifa House, which we will convert into a football museum.”

The Harare businessman expressed pleasure at the establishment of a Sport ministry after he led a spirited campaign to implore the government to establish a separate sport portfolio.

Having been criticised for not attending football matches, Dube, who watched a full 90 minutes of the Seven Heroes final said his passion was grassroots development.

“I would rather go and watch grassroots football and see how we can develop younger players,” Dube said. “This is where it all starts, so it’s important that we lay a firm foundation.

“Fifa encourages us to invest in grassroots development and they have even given us some money for that. “Our neighbours, Zambia, are doing well at top level because they have a strong grassroots development programme and we should follow suit. We seem to be neglecting that area.”

Dube said he would drum up support for incumbent provincial chairpersons ahead of elections in January, but he would not assist board members this time.

“We are trying to prop up our people in the provinces since their elections are on in January. But this time I will not make the mistake I made in 2010. No more hangers on. This time it’s each man for himself.

The question people ask when you seek re-election is what you did in your time in office! So each person should convince the electorate through their work,” he said Some board members in the current set-up have been accused of sleeping on duty and could struggle to reclaim their posts.