Renowned spiritual leader and football club owner, Prophet Walter Magaya, has initiated a legal battle against the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) Normalisation Committee after being barred from participating in the upcoming ZIFA presidential elections.
Prophet Magaya, who also heads Yadah FC and is the founder of PHD Ministries, filed his appeal with the High Court, contesting his exclusion based on unresolved legal cases and a prior conviction.
Details of the Disqualification
The decision to disqualify Magaya stems from ZIFA’s regulations, which prohibit candidates with pending court cases or past criminal convictions from running for office. The elections are slated to be held on January 25 in Harare, but Magaya’s legal action has sparked widespread debate within Zimbabwe’s football community.
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Normalisation Committee’s Response
Prophet Magaya challenges ZIFA disqualification in High Court-Image Source@X/Zimbabwean-COZWVA
The ZIFA Normalisation Committee oversees the election process and confirmed receipt of Magaya’s High Court application. However, the committee expressed disappointment with his decision to escalate the matter to the High Court instead of utilizing the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The committee highlighted that another disqualified candidate, former football star Benjani Mwaruwari, had taken his case to CAS rather than pursuing legal action through domestic courts.
Despite the ongoing legal proceedings initiated by Magaya, the ZIFA Normalisation Committee has shared that the presidential elections will proceed as scheduled. The committee remains committed to ensuring a transparent and fair electoral process, emphasizing that their primary objective is to restore credibility and governance within Zimbabwean football.
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Reactions From the Football Community
The disqualification and subsequent legal challenge have ignited significant discussion among stakeholders in Zimbabwe’s football ecosystem. Supporters of Magaya argue that his involvement in football management, mainly through Yadah FC, qualifies him to contribute positively to the administration of the sport at the national level. Critics, however, insist that the integrity of the election process must be upheld, and any candidate with legal or ethical concerns should be excluded.
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