HARARE – The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) lurched into fresh turmoil on Friday after a garnishee order was placed on its accounts following an application by one of its former employees Lazarus Mhurushomana, who says he is owed US$500,000.

ZIFA boss Felton Kamambo said the timing of the garnishee order could disrupt planning for crucial games involving the national senior men’s team and the Under 23s who are both in action this weekend.

Zimbabwe play Somalia in Djibouti in the first leg of a 2022 World Cup preliminary round qualifier, while the Young Warriors travel to South Africa for an Under 23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

Kamambo sees a malicious hand in the timing of Mhurushomana’s actions.

“It appears like it’s a deliberate ploy to handicap ZIFA because we were planning to buy air tickets for the Warriors and the Young Warriors as well as paying the allowances for the
Mighty Warriors for their Olympic qualifier against Zambia,” Kamambo said.

The Warriors and the Young Warriors are expected to go into camp on Monday.

ZIFA have until Monday to pay US$518,331.81 owed to Mhurushomana, who was retrenched in 2004 and has been battling since to get his severance package.

“You are hereby instructed to deposit US$518,331.81 into the plaintiff’s FCA [foreign currency account] from the following account numbers held in the name of ZIFA within 48 hours: 0181197610296101; 1811976/029210; 081197610292103; 081197610292104,” the garnishee order delivered to ZIFA’s bank reads.

ZIFA lawyers are expected to challenge the garnishee order.

Following Mhurushomana’s retrenchment, the two parties failed to agree on a suitable retrenchment package. Mhurushomana cited unfair labour practice and the matter was referred for arbitration.

ZIFA were ordered to pay the former administrator his salary and benefits from March 2004 until agreement was reached on the retrenchment package.