Chaenda Chikwata!

Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter 

THE quest for a return to top-flight for former football giants Zimbabwe Saints FC has hit another brick wall, as Chikwata are one of the four teams to be relegated from the Zifa Southern Region Division One League this season.

With one game to the season’s end, Chauya Chikwata are good as “Chaenda Chikwata” since they are third from bottom and can no longer move outside the relegation slot.

Other teams that are already relegated are Qualify Foods as well as the now defunct Indosakusa. 

The defunct Indosakusa anchor the log table, while Quality Foods are second from bottom with 24 points. The team has not fulfilled two previous encounters with the sponsors believed to have pulled out.

Ajax, CIWU and Emakhandeni are tied on 32 points. One of the three teams  will be condemned down to Division Two. Ajax have a date with Arenel Movers, Emakhandeni host Hwange while CIWU host Mosi Rovers.

The fall of Saints, however, carries more significance as the team was on a revival path that had them wanting to bounce back to topflight football league. However, one of the country’s oldest football clubs has taken a further step back.

In a bid to reclaim the side’s former glory, Australia-based Adrian Mtungwazi injected US$30 000 into the club as well as paying winning bonuses for the team, mid-way into the season.

With the financial boost, Chauya Chikwata roped in Mark Mathe to revive the once revered giant of local football. 

That, however, has proved not to be enough to motivate the team to win.

Mtungwazi also bought two housing stands for the club.

At the time of the injection, Zimbabwe Saints board of trustees Vincent Pamire remarked “Our sponsor has said he wants the team to play in the Premier League and that is what we are pushing for.” 

It is now clear that a return to the PSL is now a far-fetched dream since Chikwata have to start afresh in Division Two. 

Chauya Chikwata, relegated from the Premier League in 2011, were thrown out of Division One in 2014 for failing to pay $2 500 in affiliation fees.

They were on the sidelines before registering in the Zifa Bulawayo Province Division Two League in 2015, when they finished 13th.

Zimbabwe Saints’ manoeuvres to play in Division One in 2016 hit a brick wall after  they failed to raise funds to acquire the Quelaton franchise, which had been surrendered by NUST.

Chikwata last played in the Premier Soccer League in 2011 after they had bought Chitungwiza-based Eagles’ franchise at the behest of businessman Felix Dzumbunu following their relegation to the lower league in 2006. —  @innocentskizoe