I Will End Corruption In ZIFA Vows Gilbert Mponda, ZIFA Aspiring Candidate
By Desire Tshuma
ASPIRING ZIFA candidate – Gilbert Muponda – has vowed to end corruption which has seen football in Zimbabwe descend into chaos over the past few years if he is elected to be the new ZIFA president.
Muponda a banker and economist by profession is one of the candidates who is vying for the top post of leading Zimbabwean football in the upcoming elections which are scheduled to be held early next year.
So far Muponda is one of the few candidates who has made it clear that he wants to lead ZIFA in the upcoming elections.
Other candidates who are linked with running for the ZIFA presidency include the likes of politician Themba Mliswa, UK based Marshall Gore, Dr Wangu Mazodze, Prophet Walter Magaya among others.
In an exclusive interview, Muponda said corruption is the main reason why Zimbabwean football has gone backwards over the past few years.
He said if he is given the mandate to lead ZIFA in the upcoming elections, one of his major tasks is to end corruption in football and clean Zimbabwean football which he believes will attract a lot of sponsors and investors.
“The main reason why our football has been stagnant over the past few years, is because of corruption.
“Corruption has killed our game, we have a lot of people who are selfish and they don’t care about our beautiful game and their players.
“So if I am given the mandate to lead ZIFA, I am going to end this corruption and clean our beautiful game so that serious sponsors can pour in money to uplift our game.
“We have a lot of sponsors who want to pour in money into our game but they withhold their cash because of this corruption. Sponsors want to see accountability, they want value for their money, so I assure the nation that I will bring in these serious sponsors and I will save our game if I am given the mandate to lead ZIFA in the upcoming elections,” he said.
Muponda who runs his own academy said, one of his major tasks is to see the revival of football junior policy and setup a proper women’s league.
He said he believes women also deserve the recognition they deserve, so he will see that proper structures are setup to run a proper women’s league.
“Our women football deserve to treated the same as men’s football so I will see that proper structures are put into place to uplift women’s football.
“FIFA gives out grants that are meant for women’s football development, but these grants are only given if they see that you are serious and have proper structures. So under my leadership we want to have these grants and we will use it to develop our women’s football,” he said.
