PETER Dube has been retained as Highlanders chairman for the next three years after his sole challenger and former club boss Ernest ‘Maphepha’ Sibanda was disqualified during the vetting process on Monday.
Sibanda was found not to be in “good standing” with the club, mainly because of the funds misappropriated when former club striker Obadiah Tarumbwa was sold to Cercle Brugge of Belgium in 2007 when he was chairman.
Chairman of the nomination court, Luke Mnkandla, confirmed Monday’s decision, saying the full explanation would be availed to the Highlanders membership at next week’s Annual General Meeting.
“We used Article 10: 7 which gives the electoral court the powers to receive, approve or disqualify a candidate. “We found him (Sibanda) not to be in good standing,” Mkandla said.
The AGM will take place a week before the elections set for February 1 at the Highlanders Sports Club in Bulawayo.
Sibanda has previously defended himself in the Tarumbwa saga, but on Monday he accepted his fate.
“I have been disqualified due to Article 10 on a members’ good standing and I accept the outcome as I said last week that I will accept the nomination court’s decision,” Sibanda said.
On the Tarumbwa issue, Sibanda said last week: “A lot of things might have happened during my tenure. There are a lot of things being said about the Obadiah issue. But people may take it the way they want. It was a deal that went bad involving third parties and I was caught in between. I never stole Bosso money. The truth will remain that I wanted to protect my club at all costs.”
The secretary’s post held by outgoing executive committee member Andrew Tapela has attracted five names with former manager Emmett Ndlovu, Donald Ndebele, Innocent Batsani Ncube, Pilate Mahlangu and Njabulo Bango waiting to go through the nomination court for approval.
Tapela is constitutionally ineligible to seek re-election after serving two terms. Also up for grabs is the committee member’s post held by Charles “Six-One” Moyo who is also seeking re-election.
Moyo is being challenged by life member Faith Silandulo Dube, who confirmed he had picked up his nomination papers.
The nomination papers are supposed to be signed by at least 10 bonafide members of the club and the candidates pay a $100 nomination fee refundable on condition they get more than 10% of the vote.Advertisement

Mnkandla chaired the nomination court which has highly respected High Court judge Justice Nicholas Mathonsi, labour expert Davies Ndumiso Sibanda, Elkanah Dube, former board chairman Dumisani Sandi and secretary Jimmy Ncube.