Twine threatens the Magwizi reign

By Michael Kariati | Dec. 29, 2024

Former Premier Soccer League chairman Twine Phiri has emerged as the strongest challenger to favourite Nqobile Magwizi's ascendency to the Zifa presidency.

Initially, Walter Magaya was seen as the biggest threat to Magwizi but with the prophet gone, along with Temba Mliswa, Farai Jere, and probably Benjani Mwaruwari as well, Phiri is seen as the dark horse in the race.

The four were swept away by the Zifa ethics and integrity commission on December 23 which deemed them unqualified to contest the elections although Mwaruwari is challenging that decision.

Analysts believe Phiri has also benefited heavily from the departure of Magaya, Jere, Mliswa and Mwaruwarui as their backers in the congress would rather go for him than the other remaining candidates.

So far, the football talk has placed Magwizi as the overwhelming favourite and that based on history that the Zifa congress has always had a liking for wealthy candidates.

This is so after the congress systematically handed the Zifa baton to Trevor Carelse-Juul, Leo Mugabe, Rafik Khan, Cuthbert Dube, and later on Phillip Chiyangwa, all well known rich people during their time.

Although some of those elections were accompanied by serious allegations of cash-for-my vote, it is every football follower's hope that that tradition will not follow the January 25 polls.

Magwizi is also understood to wield some influence through his association with Sakunda Holdings and in particular its owner, Kuda Tagwirei.

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However, not much is known of Magwizi football wise, apart from the fact that his campaign team also has Jonathan Mashingaidze who is the Dynamos CEO and was Zifa CEO during the problematic Cuthbert Dube era.

This is not surprising as in most of the past Zifa elections, Mashingaidze has been associated with one or so candidates and credited for drawing up their 'impressive' election manifestos.

Magwizi is leading the team that is installing bucket seats at the National Sports Stadium and also credits himself for the Dynamos and Highlanders sponsorship from Sakunda Holdings.

Magwizi who does some work for Sakunda is understood to have the strong backing of this company, which has over the years financially supported Zimbabwean football in different ways.

However, if football background, history, or association is to be followed Magwizi falls behind all the other candidates in the perking order of future Zifa president.

Yes, we are told he is a director of Banket United Football Club but that is nothing compared to Phiri who not only owned Caps United but was chairman of the Premier Soccer League in some of its most successful years.

Remember, Phiri brought back Castle Lager into football in 2011 after the beverage manufacturers had severed their association with the game way back in 1997.

The NetOne Cup came the same year in 2011, and was followed in 2012 by the Mbada Diamonds Cup and the Banc ABC Super Eight, the Chibuku Cup was next in in line in 2013 before the ZNA Charity Shield in 2014.

Magwizi also falls short in terms of football administration to Martin Kweza, who has held fort of the Northern Region Soccer League and made it the biggest sponsored football region in Zimbabwean football.

There too is Philemon Machana who had a team in the Premier League of the Zimbabwe Women Soccer League, was Zifa board member finance during the Chiyangwa reign and was re-elected under Felton Kamambo and now wants a higher post and that of Zifa president.

Marshall Gore comes into the election with a clean record and no accusation attached to his name. A passionate and committed individual, Gore knows his way around Zifa House having been instrumental in persuading UK-based footballers to turn out for Zimbabwe and formed Team Zimbabwe UK.

The other candidate Makwinji Soma-Phri does not have a well documented history of football administration but unlike Magwizi, prides himself in the fact that he played football at the highest level and for two of the biggest football teams in the land — Highlanders and Dynamos.

However, as the election campaign hits top gear, the question that needs to be answered first is : What sort of football president does Zimbabwe require at the moment ?

Does the Zimbabwean game require a man who was or is in the football system in the wake of the failures or history of the past?

Or should the country experiment with a completely new man hoping that he will not try to learn what is required when already on the job ?

Whatever, the case is, the Zifa Congress should be allowed to choose its leaders freely and fairly without strings being pulled to vote for people, relatives or friends of influential people or the powers that be.

Word of outside influence is reverberating heavier than before but football should say no to the puppet masters and refuse to accept leaders imposed on it by the outside football world

After all, the Zifa Congress is made up of knowledgeable and intellectual football administrators who are capable of electing competent leaders without anyone telling them whom to vote for.