Jere takes up PSL top post

Caps United chairman Farai Jere was yesterday elected Premier Soccer League (PSL) chairman, taking up the top post after narrowly defeating Triangle’s Lovemore Matikinye in an election held in Harare.

Written by Kevin Mapasua

With 16 clubs taking part and representatives from Herentals and ZPC Kariba not arriving in time, it was a close contest with Gele receiving 9 votes and Matikinje receiving 7 votes.

Jere will be replaced by Chicken Inn’s Rifa Ncube, who won the position without controversy.

The elections were conducted by the seven-member Zifa Electoral Committee led by Vusi Vuma.

Jere could not contain his joy immediately after the votes were counted and even before Vuma made the announcement. It was clear who had won.

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The Harare businessman later expressed his delight at taking up the post at a press conference after addressing PSL governors in a closed-door meeting.

“Obviously I am happy, the governors understood what we proposed and this is a support for our manifesto,” he said.

“It was a good race and we had a good season. With the inauguration of a new government, we come into office with new expectations for the economy. But our mission going forward is , we hope our tenure is successful.

He said that in addition to the current situation of renting an office building, the company will immediately consider ways to have its own building that can house PSL’s offices.

Jere added that he had already discussed the need to acquire land to build its own office with Zifa Chairman Philip Chiyangwa.

“From today, we said, let’s move forward instead of looking back. We need to do everything in our power to establish our own office as soon as possible. I have already worked with Chiyangwa on this We are discussing the matter and he will help us in that regard.”

He said he would try to improve the relationship between PSL and Jifa.

“The past problems between PSL and Jifa revolved around the constitution. But the constitution is a man-made thing. We, the PSL, need to align our constitution with Jifa’s constitution. There is no use in fighting, in the end it is the game that loses. PSL’s lawyers will talk with Zifa’s lawyers and both parties can come to an agreement on how to synchronize the statues. We hope that he will be the winner. Now we see Chiyangwa rising, but some are waiting for his downfall. That we can learn from him. I think we need to benefit from people like him.”

He said that since he and Ncube come from accounting backgrounds, they will be helpful in managing PSL’s finances.

“We said that PSL’s balance sheet is not good, but Ncube and I come from accounting backgrounds, so we can improve the situation.”

Meanwhile, Matikinje said he did his best.

“We tried our best, but at the end of the day the numbers speak for themselves,” he said. “I am part of the team and will continue to do what I have been doing.”