…as transparency concerns are
raised
Clayton Shereni
The
Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) Eastern Region has begun distributing the
Covid-19 bailout package to the affiliated Division One teams.
Zifa
received a total of US$1.3million from Fédération Internationale de Football
Association (Fifa) and Confederation of African Football (Caf) as a Covid-19
relief package and the Eastern region received an allocation of $1.6million in
local currency.
Zifa
Eastern Region chairperson Davison Muchena confirmed to have started disbursing
the funds but admitted that there was no consensus between club chairpersons.
“We
held a meeting over the weekend with club chairpersons on how we should
distribute the funds which we received from the national office.
“Yes
there were concerns from other chairpersons stating that the funds were too
little and will be easily eroded by inflation, but at the end of the day we
came out with a decision to distribute that which we received as we wait for
more,” said Muchena.
The
Felton Kamambo led Zifa executive has stirred more controversy over
transparency on the distribution of funds and is failing to give a satisfactory
answer why they chose to convert the Covid-19 bailout package into local
currency.
One
of the club chairpersons who spoke on condition of anonymity accused Zifa of
trying to fleece them of the money by giving them local currency and playing
with figures.
“If
people hear that a D1 club was given $85 000 they will think that we got a lot
of money but this is not enough to foot our expenses.
“Why
did Zifa national choose to change the money from US Dollars? There is
something fishy here, by the time we access this money inflation will have done
the damage, they are just talking big figures to confuse people,” he said.
Clubs
are reportedly going to receive $85 000 each as the first phase of the relief
package from Zifa.
Masvingo
United FC chairperson Hubert Fidze said his club was yet to receive the money and
was making a follow up on processing of the funds.
“I’m
doing a follow up concerning that issue, we are yet to receive our share,
nothing has reflected in our account so far,” said Fidze.
Other
three regions have also reportedly started distributing funds to their
affiliates with each team expecting to get their bite of the cherry.
