Walter Magaya, who wants to become president of the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA), and former ZIFA vice president Gift Banda are accus#d of trying to manipulate their way into leadership roles.
On October 10, 2024, they allegedly held a secret meeting in Bulawayo with ZIFA councillors from the Southern Region.
During this meeting, they reportedly encouraged the councillors to change ZIFA’s rules to remove the requirement of having five O-levels, a qualification that Magaya does not have.
Sources claim that Magaya and Banda aimed to eliminate this requirement to facilitate their bids for leadership positions in the upcoming ZIFA elections in January.
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The meeting included several influential figures in ZIFA, such as Magaya’s manager and various regional chairpersons.
Magaya is also known as a prophet and leads a popular church in Harare.
He has faced past allegations of rape and fraud, while Banda has been accused of match-fixing and has been removed from ZIFA twice.
The current ZIFA rules state that the president and vice presidents must have at least five O-levels. Critics argue that removing this requirement could go against ZIFA’s policies on equality.
A meeting is set for October 18 in Harare to discuss proposed changes to the ZIFA statutes and prepare for the upcoming elections.
The draft statutes emphasize the need for integrity checks and educational qualifications for executive committee members.
