The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) has denounced as deceitful a letter allegedly from FIFA, which claimed the global football body’s independent ethics committee was investigating Nqobile Magwizi’s presidential candidacy.
Magwizi has emerged as a leading contender for the ZIFA presidency, ahead of the association’s elections scheduled for January 25. These elections mark the first since December 2018, when Felton Kamambo’s administration took office before their unceremonious exit in November 2021.
ZIFA’s Normalisation Committee, chaired by Lincoln Mutasa, expressed surprise over the false allegations that FIFA was scrutinizing their acceptance of Magwizi’s nomination. Mutasa dismissed the claims as baseless, including rumors that the committee had overturned disqualifications and invited all previous candidates back into the race.
“There are unfounded claims suggesting that all prior aspirants have been reinstated into the election process. This is completely false,” Mutasa clarified.
The allegations originated from an unsigned letter purportedly written by Martin Ngoga, identified incorrectly as the FIFA Ethics Committee chairperson instead of his actual role as vice-chairman. The letter, circulating on social media, alleged that an anonymous investigative journalist had flagged Magwizi’s candidacy, further fueling what appeared to be a smear campaign against the businessman and advertising professional.
Mutasa dismissed the claims of procedural violations, affirming that the Normalisation Committee adhered strictly to the ZIFA constitution of October 2024. He emphasized that all candidates were subjected to the same criteria, including educational qualifications, Zimbabwean residency, and endorsements from bona fide ZIFA members.
“There were no exceptions made for any candidate,” he said. “Every nomination required a formal resolution from the endorsing ZIFA member, as stipulated in the statutes.”
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Mutasa also rejected suggestions that the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) had influenced candidate selections, attributing such allegations to misinformation or attention-seeking behavior.
“Only bona fide ZIFA members signed the nominations, and to suggest otherwise is baseless,” he stated, adding that the reform process under the Normalisation Committee had encouraged greater participation in the elections.
While Magwizi has actively campaigned across the country to engage with councillors, some rivals have resorted to tarnishing his image, even alleging that his candidacy should be disqualified due to his past inclusion on U.S. sanctions lists.
The dismissed letter, dated January 10, 2014 an evident error claimed to acknowledge a formal complaint against Magwizi’s candidacy and referred the matter to FIFA’s Ethics Committee. However, its authenticity was questionable, as it lacked Ngoga’s signature and failed to copy key stakeholders, such as the Confederation of African Football.
Mutasa scoffed at the false claims, describing them as part of “the silly season” surrounding the election. He reaffirmed his committee’s commitment to a transparent and fair process, highlighting the significant progress achieved in ZIFA’s reform journey.
