FUZ attack Chicken Inn

Eddie Chikamhi Sports Reporter
THE Footballers Union of Zimbabwe have accused Chicken Inn of dishonesty as the Zimbabwean soccer champions are being accused of deliberately delaying to clear their former player Toto Banda whose career is now in limbo.

Banda, an impact substitute during last year’s successful run when Chicken Inn won their first league championship, has set his sights on joining city neighbours How Mine.

In fact, the striker has since signed a contract with the gold miners, but cannot be part of the squad since he is yet to get his clearance.

FUZ president Desmond Maringwa yesterday said they have approached the Gamecocks, the Premier Soccer League and ZIFA without success and was yesterday set to travel to Bulawayo to continue the mediation efforts.

“The problem is that Banda’s contract has expired, but Chicken Inn are refusing to give him the clearance. There have been numerous engagements and every time they keep saying they will give him the clearance. They make promises and don’t fulfil them.

“I hear they are saying there was a clause in the contract which stated that Banda could extend his contract and had promised them he would do that before changing his mind to go to How Mine.

“But that’s not a good enough reason because he is out of contract and can sign wherever he wants. So we are planning to take this matter to (the Ministry of Labour) because he is losing out on what he was supposed to be getting in winning bonuses.

“I understand How Mine are taking care of his salaries at the moment, but obviously there will come a time when they will also say why should we continue paying him when he is not providing the services that we hired him for?” said Maringwa.