KEY POINTS
- Temba Mliswa alleges corruption in ZIFA’s disqualification process.
- Ethics Committee and SRC accused of bias toward one candidate.
- Disqualified candidates may appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Temba Mliswa, disqualified from running in the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) presidential race, has accused the organization’s Ethics Committee of corruption and vowed to contest the ruling.
The outspoken politician and former lawmaker expressed frustration over the decision. He called the ZIFA constitution flawed and the Ethics Committee compromised.
Mliswa calls ZIFA constitution flawed
Speaking after ZIFA released the final list of candidates for the January 25 elections, Mliswa declared his intent to challenge the decision in court. He criticized the process and questioned the legality of the ZIFA constitution, claiming it could be challenged on multiple fronts.
“If this is truly what the Ethics Committee concluded, we have every right to contest it,” Mliswa said. “We will ensure justice is served, and I am confident the laws of this country will protect the citizens and bring about the right outcome. The constitution itself is flawed and open to legal scrutiny.”
ZIFA’s Integrity Commission disqualified Mliswa alongside former Warriors captain Benjani Mwaruwari, CAPS United owner Farai Jere, and cleric Walter Magaya. According to ZIFA regulations, candidates must be free of pending civil, criminal, or disciplinary proceedings or investigations to qualify.
Ethics committee accused of corruption
Mliswa leveled serious allegations against the Ethics Committee, claiming corruption and bias in the selection process.
According to All Africa, he accused the Sports Recreation Commission (SRC) of influencing the outcome, alleging that one candidate, Nqobile Magwizi, was preselected as the “blue-eyed boy” of the SRC.
“There’s a lot of money being spent behind the scenes, money that has corrupted an Ethics Committee that is supposed to uphold integrity,” Mliswa said. “I have inside information that the SRC was clear about wanting Magwizi as president. This process is tainted, and the truth must come out.”
Despite these claims, the SRC and ZIFA have yet to respond to Mliswa’s accusations.
Path forward for disqualified candidates
The disqualification of high-profile candidates has narrowed the ZIFA presidential race to six contenders: Nqobile Magwizi, Twine Phiri, Marshall Gore, Philemon Machana, Martin Kweza, and Makwinje Phiri.
Under ZIFA’s statutes, disqualified aspirants have the option to appeal the decision through the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland.
Mliswa remains defiant, asserting that the disqualified candidates will use every legal avenue to ensure fairness. “This isn’t the end of the road,” he said. “We will play our ace card and fight for transparency and justice in this process.”
As the election approaches, scrutiny over ZIFA’s internal processes continues to mount, with calls for accountability and transparency growing louder.
