DeMbare implodes again

Zimpapers Sports Hub

PREMIERSHIP giants Dynamos are in a mess again, amid reports of an implosion that saw assistant coach Murape Murape and sports director Richard Chihoro being suspended, together with team physiotherapist Admire Pataingwa.

Team manager Harry Lusengo’s fate on charges of gross misconduct and bringing the name of the club into disrepute is still to be determined by the executive committee.

Lusengo’s case is somewhat of a conundrum for the executive committee. He is the son of the powerful Dynamos board chairperson, Bernard Marriot Lusengo.

Dynamos are treating the cases linked to gross indiscipline very seriously such that Murape, Chihoro and Pataingwa have been suspended without benefits.

According to his letter of suspension, issued by club secretary-general Webster Marechera, Murape is charged with verbally abusing and threatening to assault Dynamos executive committee member in charge of marketing David Chikomo.

In the letter dated September 26, and which Zimpapers Sports Hub got sight of yesterday, the incident happened at the end of Dynamos’ Premiership match against TelOne, which ended 0-0 in Gweru on September 8.

“We refer to the recent verbal insults that you hurled at Mr David Chikomo on Sunday September 8, 2024 after the league match between TelOne FC and Dynamos FC,’’ reads part of the letter.

“Please take note that you are being charged with contravening the following section of SI 15 of 2006 known as the National Employment Code of Conduct, Section 4 (a): ‘Any conduct or omission inconsistent with the fulfilment of the express or implied conditions of one’s contract’.

“The grounds for the charges are that it is alleged that you verbally attacked Mr David Chikomo and threatened to beat him up in the presence of other club technical staff.

“Despite intervention from the other technical staff, you continued to vomit a barrage of derogatory and unprintable words at Chikomo and further accused the executive committee of misusing funds from Sakunda.”

Marechera alleges that it is not the first time this season that Murape had insulted and disrespected the executive committee.

“This follows similar outbursts on September 4, when Dynamos played ZPC Kariba in a Chibuku Cup tournament,” he wrote.

“Further, you repeated your disdain and disrespect of the club leadership at a meeting held on September 9, 2024 in the presence of the board chairperson (Marriot Lusengo).

“In the premises, your conduct has left the club with no option but to invoke section 6 (1) of the National Employment Code of Conduct (SI 15 of 2006) and suspend you from work without pay and benefits with effect from Thursday September 26, 2024.

“You shall be shortly served with the notification to attend a disciplinary hearing, which notification shall fully spell out the allegations and subsequent charges as provided for in the National Employment Code of Conduct.

“During your period of suspension, you are not allowed to visit any of the Dynamos facilities, including attending the team’s training sessions or matches or even to phone any of the Dynamos players, technical officials or executive members.

“Any club property in your possession should be surrendered to the club security personnel forthwith.’’

This is not the first time that both Murape and Chihoro have been suspended for either indiscipline or misconduct, although they have always found a way of bouncing back.

Chihoro stands accused of insubordination.

“We refer to the recent meeting held on 9th September 2024 between the executive committee and board chairperson with yourself in attendance.

“The grounds for the charges are that during this meeting you made comments initially directed to the executive member marketing insinuating that he hated former players and also that the executive committee didn’t like you as an individual,’’ part of Chihoro’s letter reads.

He was accused of alleging that the executive committee did not want him back at the club and “you had to come back into the system ‘by ginya’ (force) — against the wishes of the executive”.

“You openly disclosed that you hated the current executive because it equally hated you. Further, you averred that the club should apologise to your person over previous issues that you were implicated in which actions were recorded and shown live on national television.

“Further, you accused the club executive of pushing a futile agenda of having you excluded from club affairs. You further alleged that you were the most senior person in the club and the executive seemed not to care about that when it came to your remuneration.”

Chihoro was accused of disrespectfully submitting that the executive was delaying his confirmation as sports director, notwithstanding the due process to be followed in the wake of his qualifications versus the job specifications.

“Your actions during this meeting showed gross insubordination and insolence towards the club executive and this happened in the full glare of the board chairperson,” reads the charges.

Pataingwa, a largely unknown figure among coach Lloyd Chigowe’s backroom staff, faces allegations of trying to create a financial crisis at Dynamos.

“The above matter refers. Dynamos Football Club hereby confirms your suspension from work following your attempt to create a financial crisis ahead of our CAF Confederation Cup preliminary match against Orapa United FC, thus bringing the club into disrepute,” reads the allegations.

“Your action was meant to create a crisis within the camp over matters which the club had serviced. A detailed charge sheet shall be served to you this week.

“Meanwhile, you are with immediate effect not allowed to perform any club duties, including, but not limited to attending training sessions and matches, pending finalisation of the disciplinary proceedings that you shall attend.’’

While Harry Lusengo’s charge sheet has not been drawn up, there are reports that he is facing serious allegations bordering on smuggling drugs into the camp following a nasty incident at a Francistown hotel ahead of DeMbare’s Confederation Cup match against Orapa United of Botswana.