Dube's Future Hanging by Thread as ZIFA Council Meets
Even football fans are clamoring for Dube’s exit. One of them, Ishmael Makuwaza, says Dube must do the honorable thing and resign instead of waiting to be thrown.
WASHINGTON D.C. — The future of Cuthbert Dube as president of the Zimbabwe Football Association is hanging by a thread by each passing hour as the country’s supreme football body, the ZIFA Council, meets Saturday to decide the future of the man who has been at the helm of Zimbabwean football for the past five years. Dube was initially removed from office by the same ZIFA Council on May 16th but this was nullified by FIFA on the premise that the decision was unconstitutional as it was not on the agenda. However, the councillors have made clear their intentions this time around to the extent that they are prepared to foot their own bills for the trip to Harare after ZIFA announced that they did not have the money to make this Extra Ordinary General meeting a reality. Even football fans are clamouring for Dube’s exit and one of them Ishmael Makuwaza says Dube must do the honourable thing by resigning today instead of waiting to be thrown out. “Mr. Dube must just go,” said Makuwaza. “He has failed us as a nation and if he is an honorable man he should do the right thing and leave on his own.” However, Dube, who allegedly has pumped out more than a million dollars of his own money into Zimbabwean football, says the Zimbabwean football should be thanking him instead of thinking of getting rid of him. “You assist, you rescue the nation and there’s no gratitude,” said Dube. “If anything there’s a chorus ‘Dube must go’ – there’s lack of gratitude.” Dube is blamed for running down the Public Medical Aid Society which has a huge debt that lawmakers say should not be taken over by the government. This is this is the politics off the field of play but on the field action continues. The Chibuku Super Cup semi-finals move to Mandava Stadium but this time not with a double header. The first of the semi-finals is on tomorrow between ZPC Kariba and Harare City while the second features overwhelming favourites Dynamos against Airforce of Zimbabwe side, Chapungu, on Sunday. Dynamos coach Tonderayi Ndiraya is confident his team will win adding that their aim is to win the trophy. Ndiraya, however, is wary of the threat that Chapungu poses and says they are not taking the Gweru based airmen lightly. At the same time, the Mighty Warriors are on their way to Yaounde in Cameroon for their 2016 Olympic Games qualifier. The trip was hanging in the balance after Zifa failed to raise enough funds but the new minister of Sport and Recreation Makhosini Hlongwane came to the team’s rescue. Now the onus is on the Mighty Warriors to deliver. Now to cricket: The disappointing Zimbabwe national team is out to salvage some pride when they engage visiting Pakistan for the second of their Three ODI Series. The Zimbabwean lost the two Twenty 20 matches and the first ODI and are desperate for results. However, observers are of the opinion that results will never come for as long as the same disappointing team continues to represent the country.