Shingi Matibiri, Sports Reporter
HARARE – The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has once again stood it’s ground that Felton Kamambo is the bonafide elected ZIFA president refusing to recognize Gift Banda who was installed by the councillors in April.
Banda landed the top post following an Extra Ordinary General meeting in April which revoked the mandate of Kamambo, Philemon Machana and Brighton Malandule.
In a letter addressed to Joseph Mamutse, in a show of confidence in Kamambo, CAF General Secretary Veron Mosengo-Omba said they stand guided by the FIFA Congress on 31 March in Doha Qatar that Zimbabwe’s suspension will only be lifted if the Sports and Recreation Commission repeals the decision of 26 November 2020 of suspending the ZIFA General Secretary, that the SRC repeals the SRC decision of 16 November 2021 of of suspending the ZIFA Board.
FIFA also ordered the SRC to the decision of 17 December 2021 setting up the restructuring committee.
The World football governing body has maintained that they will only lift the suspension on Zimbabwe once it receives confirmation from ZIFA and it’s management led by president Felton Kamambo and the General Secretary Joseph Mamutse that they are back in office and in total control of ZIFA House.
FIFA also ordered the SRC to withdraw the court case against three other ZIFA Board members Machana, Malandule and Stanley Chapeta.
CAF refused to acknowledge the outcome of the ZIFA Extra Ordinary General meeting which brought back Banda and instead ordered ZIFA to stop using FIFA and CAF money in their account.
CAF said Zimbabwe can attract more sanctions should ZIFA continue to use the CAF or FIFA money in their account since no country on suspension should continue to enjoy the benefits.
CAF and FIFA maintains that the SRC failed to provide evidence on the allegations being levelled against Kamambo, Machana and Malandule.
Since the ZIFA board suspension in November last year, nobody has been arrested on charges being levelled against them which includes abuse of state funds and sexual harassment of female referees.
