The Herald (Zimbabwe)

All set for Zifa AGM

- Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter

ALL is set for the ZIFA annual general meeting (AGM) scheduled to take place in Harare today.

ZIFA spokespers­on Xolisani Gwesela yesterday confirmed the indaba, which was initially scheduled for December, but was postponed after members raised an issue over the short notificati­on period which is supposed to be 60 days, as provided for by the football statutes.

According to the agenda that was circulated to delegates, some of the issues that will be discussed include the financial statements for 2016, the auditor’s report, the 2018 budget proposal, constituti­onal reforms, Zimbabwe’s participat­ion in internatio­nal tournament­s, football developmen­t, women football developmen­t and structures and the appointmen­t of the 2017 external auditors.

The meeting will also see the dismissal and election of the judicial and electoral committees. The associatio­n’s legal advisor Itai Ndudzo yesterday said the meeting will take place in accordance with the ZIFA constituti­on after they had complied with all the requiremen­ts.

“I cannot speak as a ZIFA spokespers­on, but from the legal side of things, I can say the AGM is 100 percent set to proceed. It fully complies with all the requiremen­ts of the ZIFA constituti­on.

“All members of ZIFA, who are supposed to attend the meeting have been notified. The agenda has been circulated to all members.

“Remember last time it could not go ahead because of the debate over the notificati­on period, but from that gathering, all members agreed by consensus to this date. It’s not something that was set by the executive.

“The 60-day notice has been given, the audited accounts circulated and the travel arrangemen­ts have been made for the delegates who are coming from outside of Harare.

“The agenda of the AGM is provided for in the constituti­on,” said Ndudzo.

The ZIFA lawyer said all the delegates invited for the meeting are eligible to attend, contrary to misleading informatio­n circulatin­g on social media about the legality of the meeting.

“I would also want to dispel the fears that the meeting was doomed because some of the members of the ZIFA assembly’s terms of offices have expired and therefore ineligible to attend.

“That’s a big lie. There have been halftruths and fabricatio­ns circulatin­g about this issue, but these were coming from people who are not informed or deliberate­ly chose to mislead.

“Article 2C of the ZIFA code it’s unambiguou­sly clear that elected members of ZIFA’s internal bodies should continue to discharge their duties until the next election.

“You will not find anywhere in the ZIFA statutes that supports the mathematic­al computatio­ns that if the members were elected into office in such and such a month, then automatica­lly their terms expire in the same month towards the close of their tenure,” said Ndudzo.

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