Online Reporter
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
COULD this be the beginning of the end for the Manica Diamonds project?
While several Castle Lager Premier Soccer League teams have already unveiled new signings and transfer targets, Mutare’s top-flight side has remained conspicuously silent about reinforcements for the second half of the 2026 season.
After weeks of almost daily announcements of executive committee and technical department appointments, the Gem Boys’ silence on the transfer market is deafening.
The club, now under new ownership, sits precariously in the relegation zone — a position that demands decisive action and quality acquisitions.
As they prepare to face ZPC Kariba on Sunday at Sakubva Stadium, the only notable addition is new coach, Herbert “Jompano” Maruwa, the fourth man to take charge in a single season.
But the burning question remains: can even the best coach — let alone one parachuted in mid-season — rescue a team without the firepower of quality players?
Word was abuzz on the streets that Manica Diamonds intends to buy new players as soon as the window opens to beef up their squad and successfully fight for survival.
After the opening of the transfer window, what the club’s followers have only heard is the exit and intended exit of some of the existing key players.
Captain, Farai Banda, a vital cog in the Manica Diamond backline, has already left Manica Diamonds for CAPS United, a move that the Green Machine wanted at the beginning of the season, but somehow the Manica Diamonds hierarchy at the start of the season did well to keep him in their books.
Slippery winger, Charles Teguru and Mark Fodya are on an Eastern Region Division One team’s radar, and if the heft amounts promised for the due is anything to go by, Manica Diamonds might play the second half of the season without the two players.
Exciting midfielder, Ask Rupande is equally on demand, and Manica Diamonds, if the current trend continues, stand to lose him to a better rewarding club.
As these developments unfold, nothing is being said by the club about its intentions to add more players to the current squad.
Contacted for comment, Manica Diamonds vice-president and spokesperson, Tapiwa Mbidzo, only pledged to revert with a comprehensive comment, something that did not materialise until the time of going to Press.
Mbidzo said: “I will advise.”
Club financier, Evans Kamombo, only pledged to avail a comment.
Such is the silence within the Manica Diamonds’ hierarchy that in itself is too loud especially when one analyses the club’s position on the table and its prospects of surviving relegation.
Be that as it may, owners of the game and 12th man have their opinions.
Baldwin Chidzikwe said: “The honest truth is that things have not gone as well as many people had expected. The club appeared to be well funded when it was still run by Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) before Evans Kamombo and his team poured in resources after taking over.
“However, after the Kamombo reign got off to a promising start, results in the last few games have been disappointing, and this has left the club in danger of relegation.
“As the only team from Manicaland in the Premiership this season, Manica Diamonds deserve all our continued support as a province; from the supporters to the corporates, all stakeholders need to play a part to ensure that the team flourishes and there is sustainability. This requires a collectively shared vision and unity of purpose among all those involved. With the right people in the right places, there is still hope to salvage this season.
“A hands-on leadership, motivated players and a vibrant fan base that believes in the project can bring stability to the club. Yes, the team may be facing problems now, especially with bad form on the field of play, but they can always bounce back from this setback. How the club responds to these problems it currently faces in going forward is crucial in charting a successful course to prosperity.”
James Lunga Meya, popularly known as Hwetu, said: “Manica Diamonds have become a shadow of the ambitious club they once promised to be.
“Frequent coaching changes, unpaid players, and a steady exodus of talent have turned them into one of the PSL’s biggest underperformers. Until player welfare and stability are prioritised, success on the pitch will remain out of reach.
“Manica Diamonds still has the potential to compete at the highest level, but rebuilding will require decisive leadership, financial accountability, and a renewed commitment to player welfare. Success is built on stability, not constant change. Until those fundamentals are addressed, the club risks remaining one of the PSL’s biggest underachievers despite its undeniable potential.”
Munyaradzi Zinomwe said: “Painful story about Manica Diamonds. With the lofty standards they had set since their promotion into the Premier League, things have spiralled into the wilderness.
“Cry our beloved Manica Diamonds, the pride of Manicaland. I hope there is an urgent turnaround strategy by the new owners. One big home win starting this weekend against an equally struggling ZPC Kariba might inject some hope for Manica Diamonds.
“I hope the incoming of Jompano, coupled with a few additions to the playing personnel might rejuvenate the team.”
