adminEddie Chikamhi Sports Reporter
HARARE giants Dynamos’ hopes of ending the year in grand style with the celebrations of the club’s Golden Jubilee might just end up in hushed fashion due to financial challenges.
DeMbare, who were set to commemorate 50 years of existence with a series of activities, appear to have been grounded by the huge financial burdens to co-ordinate the festivities.
However, the DeMbare board, which has taken the responsibility to arrange the celebrations, still remains upbeat although it is now highly unlikely that the commemorations might take place early next year.
The board appointed a four-member marketing committee in February chaired by former club chairman Ignatius Pamire and it included Lloyd Hunda, Spencer Manguwa and Enock Jokomo.
They were expected to spearhead the activities which were initially marked to begin before August.
DeMbare board spokesperson Chris Kasiyazi said they are expecting to meet the marketing committee this week to get a feedback on the progress.
“We have put in place a team to deal with that issue. We didn’t want to disturb the flow of the league and now that the games are over, we can turn (our) full attention to that. Hopefully we should get something during the first week of December,” said Kasiyazi.
The Glamour Boys have had a tough season in which they fared badly in the two cup competitions after surrendering the Mbada Daimonds Cup and falling early in the BancABC Sup8r Cup.
But they had to get a silverware to spice up their 50th anniversary when they staged a dramatic coup on the last day of the season to win their 20th league title after edging out rivals Highlanders and Harare City on goal difference.
Dynamos confirmed their participation in next season’s Champions League at the weekend but they will also need divine intervention as their principal sponsors BancABC have indicated they are not able to partner them in the tournament.
Board member Bernard Marriot insisted the Golden Jubilee celebrations will take place and said the club is still pursuing sponsors.
Marriot said DeMbare have also made contacts with some of their associates across the borders.
“At this stage there are quite a number of sponsors we have managed to talk to and they have given assurances that come end of the year, when they do their financial accounts, they might come in. Even our friends in South Africa and Zambia have promised us that they are ready to come and help us with our Jubilee celebrations. So we are quite confident that something is going to come about, come January and February next year,” said Marriot. Marriot said DeMbare’s finances are not in a stable condition to hold the festivities.
The club’s secretary-general Webster Chikengezha said the club still relied on gate takings to augment the sponsorship by BancABC who have shouldered much of their financial responsibilities in the last three years.
Chikengezha said DeMbare were not spared by the economic hardships faced by most clubs as they realised less from the gate takings this year compared to the other seasons.
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