(Last Updated on December 5, 2015 by Editor)
ZIMBABWE – HARARE – The guessing game on who will become the next Zimbabwe Football Association president will soon be over with elections going ahead as planned in Harare on Saturday.
It has been three months of campaigning for the four candidates – Lesley Gwindi, Trevor Carelse Juul, James Takavada, and Phillip Chiyangwa. One of them will take over as the most powerful man in Zimbabwean football.
All the candidates have made a lot of promises but it is up to the 58-member Zifa Council to decide as to which one of the four has sold them better ideas.
Members of the public have always had their own choices but whoever it is does not matter as they do not have voting rights in this institution.
As the clock ticks towards election time, Gwindi says he is the right man for the top job claiming his record speaks for himself.
Not to outdone is Trevor Carelse-Juul. A former player and Zifa president himself Careles-Juul says his dream is to bring back the good old days when stadiums were full to the brim and people were united.
Juul, an international businessman with interests in South Africa, Nigeria, and the United Kingdom, laughed off suggestions that he is not resident in Zimbabwe.
On the other hand, flashy Harare businessman Phillip Chiyangwa, who has been flying around the country to meet the electorate, claims Zimbabwe football needs him more than anybody else.
Takavada has been the most quiet of the contestants. The 1984 Castle Soccer Star of the Year believes his experience as a player, coach, and administrator is what Zimbabwean football needs to reclaim old glory.
Apart from the Zifa presidential poll, there will also be elections for the Zifa vice presidency for whom Omerga Sibanda and Lincoln Mutasa are the contestants.
Ten other candidates are vying for the four positions on the Zifa board including renowned former referee Wilfred Mukuna and Warriors midfielder Edzai Kasinauyo.
The new Zifa president will only be in office for the next two years as he is continuing the mandate of Cuthbert Dube who was sacked by the Zifa Council on September 5.
By lunchtime Saturday, Zimbabweans will know who the new Zifa president will be.
That aside, action continues on the field of play with the staging of the two-day Easycall Cup semi-final extravaganza at Barbourfields Stadium.
First, on the field of play will be the match Saturday between Zimbabwe champions Chicken Inn and Caps United which will be followed by the clash between the Green Machine of Caps United and the Game Corks the next day.
Although this game was hanging by a thread after Dembare had threatened to pull out, PSL chairman Twine Phiri, said the matter has since been resolved adding that Dynamos will play.
The winners of the two matches will clash in the final set for the National Sports Stadium next Saturday.