Zim Basketball In Turmoil As Provinces Issue No-Confidence Vote Against BUZ Leadership

By Staff Reporter

Seven out of ten of Zimbabwe’s provincial basketball associations have issued votes of no confidence against the President and Secretary General of the Basketball Union of Zimbabwe (BUZ) citing rampant corruption, mismanagement and abuse of office.

Jointly signed by a majority of provincial presidents including those from Harare, Mashonaland East, West, Central, Masvingo, Manicaland and Midlands twin letters addressed to BUZ President Joe Mujuru and Secretary General Charmaine Yemurai Chamboko signal a resounding rejection of the current leadership and an urgent call for administrative overhaul within Zimbabwean basketball’s highest office.

“Basketball in Zimbabwe has dived into a death pool, mainly due to your ignorance of important issues,” reads the letter addressed to President Mujuru. “Your continued leadership has left the sport in disarray.”

The provinces have leveled a series of serious accusations against President Mujuru including elitist and corrupt national team selections that allegedly sidelined deserving talent, and clandestine governance in partnership with the Secretary General, which involved excluding the Assembly from crucial decisions.

Furthermore, he is accused of commercializing FIBA coaching clinics in violation of global norms engaging in nepotism and favoritism in technical appointments (reportedly involving the Secretary General’s relatives) and a comprehensive failure to secure or manage sponsorships and government grants, which has left the sport financially crippled.

Secretary General Charmaine Chamboko faced similar condemnation for a range of alleged misconduct, including gross interference in provincial elections, a consistent failure to produce audited financial records despite receiving public funds, and the collapse of vital structures such as interprovincial games, scholarship initiatives, and anti-drug campaigns.

Furthermore, she stands accused of charging fees for what should have been free FIBA courses and orchestrating irregular technical staff selections.

“The credibility and appeal of national representation has faded,” read the letter to Chamboko, “and the only major tournament left, BUZ National Championships, is now marred by administrative flaws.”

Drawing on Articles 27.1(c), 27.1(q), and 53.1 of the BUZ Constitution, which empower the Central Board to address members deemed incompetent, unethical, or unable to uphold FIBA and national governance standards, the provinces’ motion, supported by over two-thirds of their number, fulfills the constitutional requirement to initiate a leadership change under Article 15.

“This call is not merely symbolic, it is a constitutional necessity to restore trust and direction to the game.” said ,” Mashonaland East President Elias Magocha

The provinces have announced a controversial extraordinary meeting for Saturday, 26 July 2025, to install an interim committee to oversee the Union’s affairs pending new elections, a move that appears to be gaining traction amid the embattled executive’s silence.

The correspondence has been copied to key figures including the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Ret. Gen. A. Sanyatwe, the Director General of the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC), FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis, and FIBA Africa.

This significantly raises the stakes, as global basketball authorities may soon be drawn into what’s quickly becoming a constitutional and ethical crisis in Zimbabwean basketball, with former players and coaches already voicing support for the provinces on social media and some even calling for a complete audit of the Union’s books and operations.

“The rot is too deep to ignore,” tweeted one ex-national player. “We stand with the provinces.

Should the BUZ President and Secretary General not resign voluntarily as requested, Zimbabwe’s basketball leadership could soon experience one of the most significant overhauls in its post-independence history.