The newly established ZIFA Referees Committee is standing firm against external influences attempting to sway referee appointments for the Premier Soccer League (PSL) and other divisions.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Instead of bowing to pressure, they have introduced a series of measures aimed at improving integrity and ethical standards for the 2025 Castle Lager PSL season, which kicks off on Friday with a match between newcomers Scottland and returning team Triangle at Rufaro Stadium.
This committee will also oversee the country’s four Division One leagues and other association football divisions.
ZIFA marked a significant milestone by appointing Faith Mloyi as the first female head of the Referees Committee.
A distinguished former referee, Mloyi is joined by vice-chairperson Munyaradzi Majoni, along with Jacob Kuuya, Makonese Masakadza, and Rusina Kuda Chiramba.
Meanwhile, Joshua Tigere has been designated as referees’ manager, responsible for match officials’ affairs on a full-time basis from within the ZIFA secretariat.
The committee underwent an induction session in Harare on Sunday, led by ZIFA vice-president Kenny Ndebele and CEO Yvonne Manwa.
Former referee and business leader Anthony Mandiwanza also addressed the members, sharing his insights on governance and refereeing.
Following this session, Mloyi and her team outlined resolutions aimed at restoring credibility to the refereeing system, which had been marred by controversies in the first 11 matchdays of the previous season.
The previous committee, led by Norman Matemera, also faced challenges due to concerns about certain referees’ conduct.
ZIFA issued a statement confirming the committee’s new measures:
“ZIFA successfully conducted an induction for the newly appointed Referees Committee on Sunday, 23 February, in Harare.
“A highlight of the session was an address by distinguished former referee, Mr. Anthony Mandiwanza, who drew from his vast refereeing experience to inspire, challenge, and motivate the committee members as they embark on their mandate,’’ the statement read.
“ZIFA reaffirms that the Referees Committee is a standing body within the association’s statutes and functions under ZIFA rather than as an independent entity.’’
Key resolutions from the meeting include:
- The Referees Manager, Joshua Tigere, will serve as the committee’s secretary and handle referee-related operations.
- All financial transactions related to refereeing will be managed by ZIFA to ensure transparency, with no payments processed outside the association’s framework.
- To uphold integrity and prevent conflicts of interest, committee members will not serve as match officials, including in roles such as assessors or match commissioners.
- No new promotions to the ZIFA Referees Panel will take place this year.
Additionally, the committee is set to draft a Code of Conduct, which will require approval from the ZIFA Legal Committee.
To ensure the long-term development of referees in Zimbabwe, they also plan to recruit young referees aged 18 to 25.
“A recruitment drive will be launched to attract young referees, ensuring the future sustainability of refereeing in Zimbabwe.
“ZIFA remains dedicated to maintaining the highest standards in refereeing and ensuring that match officials operate with professionalism, integrity, and transparency.
“The association looks forward to collaborating with the newly inducted referees committee to achieve these objectives,’’ the statement concluded.
