VETERAN football administrator Musa Mandaza is back as the Southern Region chairman after thrashing Mandla Moyo 14-8 in an election held at YWCA in Bulawayo yesterday. KENNETH NYANGANI/THANDIWE MOYO
Mandaza, instrumental in the formation of the Central Region, was the Southern Region chairman from 2006 and lost out to Gift Banda in 2010.
Gaylord Madunguza beat last year’s treasurer Tawanda Ruzive for the vice-chairman’s post after getting 13 votes to the latter’s nine.
Also voted into the new set-up are board members Tumediso “Drogba” Ndlovu who got 19 votes, former referee Brighton Malandule 21, Jabulani Chinyangarara 11 and Khumbulani Mbano (19) votes as Mandaza’s team swept all available posts.
“I want to continue the mission I started in 2006. This region has suffered because there was nothing moving at the office. This time we want to bring everybody on board and create the great players that we have always known in the region,” Mandaza said after the election.
He urged his committee to be united.
“Let us be united as a football family. This is my last term in office and with the help of my committee we want to bring that unity of purpose into the game,” he said.
Mandaza said the election was free and transparent — and different from the 2010 one.
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“Something happened in 2010 and if we allow such things to come into football we will not win in the sport. Let us be united as a football family,” he said.
As expected, losing candidate Moyo, cried foul.
“It did not go according to plan. Even if I had won the election there were a number of irregularities. Firstly, it was not proper for those contesting in the election to vote and the second thing is that Mbano is not in the Hwange Juniors executive and he was not eligible to vote, but he was allowed to do so.
“Yesterday (Saturday) we understand (Ralph) Maganga had a meeting with some people at Halfway Hotel and those people were also locked up in a meeting until early morning. However I will not be appealing. Let football be the winner at the end of it all,” he said.
Moyo alleged that there were some people who were given $45 000 to rig the election although he refused to shed more light on the matter.
Maganga dismissed the allegations saying if any of the candidates had a complaint about the voting process they had to take it to the appeals committee.
“Yes, I met some people at Halfway yesterday, but it was only to endorse the provincial women’s soccer executive that was voted in yesterday (Saturday) at Hwange. It had nothing to do with this election. I do not know most of the people from Hwange. The only person I know is Tshuma (Dennis Dadegulu) who is the Matabeleland North chairman. As far as this committee is concerned everything went smoothly. Whoever has a complaint should approach the appeals committee. Our duty is to make sure the electoral code is followed,” Maganga said.
In the Eastern Region, Piraishe Mabhena defeated Stanley Mago by one vote, winning 12-11 in a closely contested election in Masvingo yesterday.
Other positions were uncontested and saw Cyril Mukwewa taking the vice-chairmanship post, former fixtures secretary Wisdom Simba is the new secretary-general, and former Hippo Valley administrator Farai Rutsvara and Davison Muchena are other board members.
Mabhena, who has vast experience in football administration since 2005, will now replace Fungai Chihuri who was at the helm for two terms.
The youthful administrator is the Tongaat Hullet group technical manager in Chiredzi.
