Online Reporter
Eddie Chikamhi-Zimpapers Sports Hub
A NEW kit deal is on the horizon for Castle Lager Premiership giants Dynamos after the partnership signed with Pakistani company Sport De Vitara suffered a stillbirth.
The partnership entered in June last year was supposed to kick-start this month, with the Glamour Boys set to receive different consignments of training and playing kits, replicas, energy drinks and travelling gear.
However, the Harare giants confided to the Zimpapers Sports Hub that the deal has since fallen through after disagreements over the details of the sponsorship.
Apparently, the new Dynamos leadership is now in advanced negotiations with a new prospective partner, 90Mins+, who are likely to be unveiled in the coming days once all the finer aspects of the deal are tied.
DeMbare have also been looking at other options after holding negotiations with their previous sponsor OTB Looks, in the hope for a possible re-marriage.
An official told Zimpapers Sports Hub that the new executive is no longer pursuing the Sport de Vitara deal signed six months ago by the previous executive led by Moses Maunganidze.
“This deal is off. We cannot pursue it anymore because there are some areas that haven’t been made clear to us.
“From our understanding, the sponsor would supply the gear and then recoup their costs from the sale of the replicas and other merchandise. “But on engaging them they insisted on payment upfront for the purchase of the kits. As a club we were not prepared for such an arrangement, hence the decision,” said the official. The kit sponsorship deal with the Asian firm was signed as a follow-up to what the Pakistan Ambassador to Zimbabwe Murad Baseer promised to the Glamour Boys when he made a generous donation of soccer equipment, including customised footballs in 2023.
It was lauded as a landmark deal for the Glamour Boys who were represented by board chairman Bernard Marriot and Maunganidze.
Sport De Vitara were represented by the company’s chairman Asim Ijaz Malik, who was keen to enter the Zimbabwe market to increase their presence in Africa where they have business in countries such as Ghana and Egypt.
But with the proposed marriage off, Dynamos have turned to 90Mins+, with whom they were previously engaged ahead of the 2024 season before circumstances hampered the progress.
The company has since made presentations to the satisfaction of the Glamour Boys management.
There are high hopes the unveiling will be done in the coming days.
This comes amid reports that DeMbare are also on the verge of securing full sponsorship with principal sponsors Sakunda Holdings.
It is part of a charm offensive in search of corporate partners as Dynamos look to restore their lost glamour ahead of the 2026 season.
Dynamos have indicated that they want to match competition in the Premiership where financial resources have significantly impacted teams’ survival and success.
The Harare giants are also keen to end a championship drought that has stretched since 2014 when Dynamos last won the title under Kalisto Pasuwa. Along with fellow giants Highlanders, Dynamos needed the last day of the season to confirm their survival from relegation.
Despite announcing the return of coach Genesis Mangombe, DeMbare are yet to announce their off-season plans.
They are also yet to unveil new signings.
There is growing uneasiness among the Glamour Boys’ supporters who are concerned about the slow take-off, especially on the transfer market where they have been largely quiet while their rivals have been scrambling for the top talent. Dynamos have lost three key players — Ghanaian Issaka Mahommad, Vusa Ngwenya and goalkeeper Prince Tafiremutsa.
DeMbare are yet to announce replacements for the trio with only hints of their intentions to sign Witness Shave from Triangle, Michael Tapera, Collin Mujuru, Perfect Chikwende, Munashe Bamara, Tino Muringai, Moses Demera, Emmanuel Mandiranga and Malawian Stanley Billiat dominating within their corridors.
