By Chenjerai Gumbeze
CHEGUTU — PROVINCIAL referees’ co-ordinator, Jacob Kuuya, has come under fire after requesting aspiring referees, who were about to sit for examinations to pay an extra USD$10 each, which was not receipted.
He is also being accused of allegedly inappropriately increasing the course participants from seven to 20 on the day of the examination.
The aspiring soccer referees finally sat for their Level One Zifa online course final examination held at Welfare Centre premises recently. The examination was supposed to be written in Chinhoyi but was shifted to Chegutu due to logistical problems.
The online course began two years ago and was supposed to be finished in time but was extended due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Before the final examination, the novices had a chance to interact with the provincial co-ordinator, Kuuya. They spent three days with him at Chaedza Primary School in Chinhoyi.
The course started with seven candidates but the numbers increased to 12 along the way. However, on the final day the number had ballooned to 20, much to the surprise of the aspiring referees.
Even though the youngsters paid US$25 with receipts for the course before it started, they were asked to top up another US$10 without receipts, which made the aspiring referees suspicious.
“Takabhadhara US$25 tichitanga kosi. Taipiwa marisitsi, asi nhasi nezuva rekunyora tonzizve tibvise ma US$10 apa hapana marisitsi atirikupiwa.Tikungonyorwa mazita edu muzibhuku tisingazive kuti pane marisitsi atichapiwa here,”said one candidate on condition of anonymity.
Kuuya was also blasted for bringing in new faces on the final day. The co-ordinator formed a referees beginners’ group, which had seven participants.
One aspiring referee said he was surprised to notice that the number increased to 12 when they were in Chinhoyi for interactions. The number further increased to 20 on the final day of examinations in Chegutu.
”Hwatova huori, munhu amusina kumbobvira makaona pese apa ozongouya onyora mazamanishoni chete. Zvakamboitika here kuti munhu anongobva kwaabva kuuya kuzonyora asina kudzidza,” said another aspiring referee.
But Kuuya in response to questions from Telesport on the allegations, said that everything was in order.
”I will send that money to Zifa offices with the names of students attached, they will get the receipts on the day of collecting results. On the issue of those who came on the examination day, some were already practising referees, who had no accreditations, saka takati vauye kuzonyorawo nekuti hapachina zviya zvekurefura usina mapepa ebasa,”explained Kuuya.
Mashonaland West is hard-hit by a shortage of referees. This has resulted in some games being officiated by bogus personnel without any credentials to officiate any games whatsoever.
