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Zimpapers Sports Hub
BERNARD Gwarada feels key stakeholder engagement can help in the smooth running of the Zimbabwe Football Association’s affairs.
The seasoned football administrator is back in the running for a ZIFA executive member post in the January 25 elections, having been reinstated after being initially erroneously wiped off the list.
He is looking to clip one of the available six spots on the board from an expansive list of 39 hopefuls.
The former Douglas Warriors co-owner is now playing catch-up in terms of his campaign after his name was retained on the ballot only last week.
Despite the setback that disadvantaged him in a huge way, Gwarada is confident he will nail his place in the new ZIFA executive due to his vast experience and knowledge of the game.
He believes ZIFA should, as a matter of priority, make sure that they partner with fans, the media, and the government for them to function efficiently.
“Let me first thank the ZIFA NC led by Lincoln Mutasa for reinstating me on the ballot.
“I have read through all the manifestos of the six presidential candidates, and they clearly show how they want to communicate their mission and vision. “However, I notice that the issue of stakeholders is not explicitly outlined. Therefore, when I am voted into office, I make sure that my views are incorporated into the presidents’ vision. The three key stakeholders I expect to be incorporated and given prominence are the supporters, media, and the government,” said Gwarada.
“Football leadership does not operate in a vacuum, and therefore for it to prosper, it must take into account the complexity of the environment, including attaching appropriate weight to public opinion.
“In the football value chain, supporters play a very important role in the sense that they are also a source for alternative viewpoints that astute leadership should consider before arriving at crucial decisions that affect the association. This is because within the supporter’s ranks there is abundant football knowledge, talent, and intellectual capacity, which can only be entirely ignored at the possible expense of the ZIFA.
“There is an interdependence between media and sport, in particular football. Media has helped to expose good and bad things happening at ZIFA. Effective communication with the media is critical for ZIFA to be able to carry out its mission and promote continued public support.”
He said there is no association that can operate effectively without government support, and having the latter as a partner makes life easy for the mother body.
“The Government is responsible for the formation of sports policies and laws, allocation of funding, as well as the development of sports infrastructure,” he added.
“As the incoming football leadership, there is a need for continual refinement of social dialogue skills so as to get the most from the relationship with the government.
“Therefore, the incoming leadership needs to be sensitive to the existence of a multiplicity of stakeholders and be able to recognise the different and potentially conflictual interests. These interests should be managed in a way that serves the best interests of football”.
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Gwarada’s football administration journey started at Agribank, where he worked, participating in the social bankers leagues.
He then joined former Premiership side Douglas Warriors as their treasurer and became a co-owner along with the late Douglas Tanyanyiwa in 2009.
It is at Douglas Warriors where the likes of Evans Gwekwerere, Lot Chiwunga, Raphiel Manuvire, and Tawanda Muparati were nurtured.
After the team went defunct, Gwarada briefly worked with Dynamos in their executive structures.
He is a ZIFA trustee and has been a ZIFA board member. He has been part of various ZIFA sponsorship and fundraising committees until 2015.
Gwarada is currently the BN Academy Trust executive director.
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