Game On Reporter
There’s no doubt Sweeney Mushonga is an old timer in local football administration.
He was part of an administration setup that led Gunners to a historic Premier Soccer League title in 2009.
Alongside Cuthbert Chitima, they formed a formidable partnership that shook the local football scene.
Apart from upsetting the applecart, Gunners also gave a platform to a number of footballers including former Warriors captain Willard Katsande, Tafadzwa Dube, Daniel Veremu and David Rediyoni.
When Gunners folded Mushonga did not fold his hands.
He stayed in football and is now one of the most respected administrators thanks to his exploits with the Northern Region Soccer League.
Mushonga is credited for rebranding the NRSL into an attractive competition that can now rival the PSL in terms of popularity.
The soft spoken Mushonga now wants to go a step higher.
He is one of the over 30 candidates who are seeking election into the ZIFA board on Saturday.
The field looks tough but Mushonga is banking on his unquestionable experience.
“I know the issues that are affecting ZIFA, I’ve been in football for quite a number of years, and I know exactly what has to be done right from day one.
“I believe that ZIFA must be well-structured,” said Mushonga.
Mushonga says he will push for ZIFA to have a well-coordinated system that has confluence.
“ZIFA’s affiliates should be running together.
“There must be confluence in terms of what ZIFA is expected to do, right across its affiliates.
“I believe that if we come together for the good of the game, we can only do better, we can only do well for ZIFA,” Mushonga says.
“It is incumbent upon the members who are coming in, right from the top, to all the members in the board, to work together, to have that collective unit, to have that unit of purpose so that we can push the agenda of ZIFA forward.
“The agenda of ZIFA is enshrined in the Constitution, wo we’re not reinventing the wheel, we’re not starting anything that’s not in the book.”
Mushonga believes with unity of purpose, ZIFA can have a new and attractive image.
“We have made sure that Gunners was a formidable club, I’ve worked at Northern Region Soccer League and we have rebranded Northern Region.
“We have the capacity to rebrand ZIFA because we have done it elsewhere.
“We’ve been able to use the Northern Region’s new image to attract sponsors, to attract funding. Football is all about image, it’s all about perception.
“So we need to do our things correctly, we need to focus, we need to understand what is required.
