King of selfies outlines vision

Philip Chiyangwa

ASPIRING  Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) president Philip Chiyangwa says he is the best candidate to lead the local game out of the quagmire of debt and a lack of sponsorship.

The Harare businessman, who has made his wealth in property development, filed his nomination papers for the vacant Zifa presidency post on Monday and is confident of winning the election on December 5.

Chiyangwa is the only candidate to have made his bid public and with nominations closing on November 5 — he feels he’s the right man for the job.

The maverick Harare businessman was speaking at a press conference at his offices after handing out $10 000 to Warriors coaches Calisto Pasuwa, Saul Chaminuka and Richard Tswatswa to pay for the players’ allowances after their qualification for the 2016 African Nations Championship to be held in Rwanda.

After the Warriors players boycotted training last week over unpaid bonuses, Pasuwa approached Chiyangwa and he agreed to settle the outstanding dues.

Chiyangwa pledged another $10 000 to the players if they qualified for the Chan tournament which he honoured yesterday.

“There is a vacancy and it needs people who can take the game to another level. One thing for sure is that there will be competition but it will not be of my calibre and status,” said Chiyangwa yesterday.

“There is no point in recycling people who have failed in the past and expect them to take soccer to another level, that’s why I’m in this race.

“In other countries, the national soccer teams are looked after by the government. When the teams do well they get bonuses from the government.

“That hasn’t happened here because the persons running soccer haven’t been able to lift the game to the national leadership and I’m in a position to do that.

“We are in a democracy and everyone is free to contest in this election. Those who think they are better than me must come along and compete.

“If I get into this post and don’t perform, the councillors will kick me out like what they did to Cuthbert (Dube).”

Chiyangwa added: “I’ll be in office for only two years up until 2018 and in those two years watch me and see what I would have done. I don’t just talk; I’m a man of action.

“If I’m elected it will set a new benchmark for the next Zifa president due to the good work which I will leave.

“Look at the history of the previous Zifa presidents going back to Nelson Chirwa’s time and none of them can be compared to my character.”

Chiyangwa said the donations he gave to the Warriors were not meant to curry favour with the Zifa councillors to vote for him but he felt the need to help at a time of crisis.

The Native Investment Group chairman footballcredentials and roots have been a bone of contention with most fans.

According to the Zifa constitution, for a person to run for a place in the board elections they need to have a traceable history of at least five years in club administration.

Chiyangwa, however, shot back saying he has the requisite requirements since he was a benefactor of lower division sides Chinhoyi United and his Old Citrus Farm club.

“I have supported the Mashonaland West inter-provincial soccer side and I have been in Chinhoyi United since 1993. It was never my intention to run for Zifa presidency one day,” he said.

“But I just felt I needed to help and I ended up forming my own football club which is Old Citrus Farm, who used to play in Division Three.

“This is on record but it’s not something that people look for because it was those small clubs. There is no difference when it comes to quantification of whether were you once in soccer.

“Even if you were with Lulu Rovers, us we were with Chinhoyi United or Chegutu Pirates, it’s still quantification.

“People expected me to be saying that ‘I was at CAPS United. I was at Dynamos or Highlanders’. No! I was at the grassroots. That’s where I’m coming from. I was involved in a lot of sports from football, boxing and wrestling.”

The 56-year-old Zanu PF politician said since he was involved with small clubs, his main forte if elected into would be grassroots development.

“I would rather have a youngster in Murambinda or Gokwe providing him with an opportunity to be in a football academy,” he said.

“We would like to have provincial competitions for the Under-10, Under-15s and Under-20s so that we can select strong teams to play in regional and international tournaments.
“From these tournaments our coaches like Pasuwa here can have an opportunity also to choose the best players from all over the country.”

Zifa is currently reeling from a debt which has risen to $6 million and has been ostracised by Fifa from any financial aid unless this books have been cleared.

The Warriors were also expelled from the 2018 World Cup qualifiers after Zifa failed to pay former coach Valinhos.

Zimbabwe is also in danger of missing out on the 2022 World Cup qualifiers as well due to the $150 000 owed to former Warriors coach Tom Saintfiet.

“If I’m elected I will sort all this out. I’m not saying I will pay the debt from my own pocket but I’m saying I will sort it out,” said Chiyangwa.

“Forensic auditors will be in that office the moment I become president to check every number to see who is claiming every dollar.

“There are some people who say my debt was $80 now it’s $100. Some people are saying it was $200 and now its $1 million. Those are some of the rumours I have heard.

“In order for me to assume something and deal with it; I will only follow what the auditors would have given me.”

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