Online Reporter
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
THE ZIFA Eastern Region administers one of the country’s four football second tier leagues, and its jurisdiction covers Masvingo, Manicaland and Mashonaland provinces, but for some reason, best known to the administrators of the Pacific Storm Eastern Region Division One League, Heart Stadium located in Waterfalls, Harare is being used as a match venue for the League.
There is long standing belief that the Eastern Region is always used as an easier highway to the Castle Lager Premiership by financially powerful teams from other regions, specifically the Northern Region, and this status quo lends credence to this long held belief.
Castle Lager Premier Soccer League relegation fatality, Yadah FC, a Pacific Storm Eastern Region affiliate, uses Heart Stadium in Waterfalls as their home ground.
But part of Waterfalls is under Hunyani Constituency represented by Tongai Mnangagwa in the House of Assembly, and the other part of the suburb is under Harare South Constituency which is represented by Trymore Kanopula.
Way back, part of Waterfalls was under Mbare Constituency, well before the delimitation exercise.
Ministry of Local Government and Public Works spokesperson, Gabriel Masvora, confirmed that Waterfalls is under Harare District in the Local Government boundaries.
As the status quo is being maintained in the Pacific Storm Eastern Region, fans who have none, but the media to question and expect answers, are querying, why a team based in another region is playing in the Eastern Region.
Fans are asking which stakeholders are benefiting from the use of Heart Stadium?
Fans are asking whether Heart Stadium is registered as one of the stadiums to be used by Eastern Region?
Fans are asking whether Yadah FC are using referees from Eastern Region or Northern Region?
Fans are asking which set of football fans are watching matches at Heart Stadium – those based in the Eastern Region or Northern Region geographically?
Fans are asking that if Yadah FC is promoted, will the Eastern Region benefit or stakeholders in the Northern Region will?
Indeed, fans are asking whether Yadah FC, by virtue of their geographical presence in the Northern Region, are they not developing or promoting youths or players from the Northern Region?
In response to questions emailed to the ZIFA Eastern Region administration, a statement signed by the regional administrator, Fungai Chingaira-Munyoro, reads: “A club participating in a regional Division One league may choose a home venue situated within a region bordering the region in which that club is affiliated, provided such an arrangement complies with the football statutes and regulations governing league participation and stadium usage.”
The ZIFA Eastern Region statement said precedent was set way back.
“This is not unprecedented within Zimbabwean football structures. Historically, Gaths Mine FC, an Eastern Region club, participated in the Central Region Soccer League until the league’s disbandment.
“Furthermore, following the establishment of the four regional Division One leagues, clubs such as Hatcliffe Academy and Ruwa Gunners participated in Mashonaland East competitions while using Motor Action Sports Ground in Eastlea, Harare, as their home venue,” reads the response.
In a startling justification of the presence of Yadah FC in the Eastern Region while using a Northern Region match venue, ZIFA Eastern Region unconvincingly and erroneously explained the geographical location of several areas as Mashonaland East when in actual fact they are known to be part of Harare under Local Government boundaries.
“It should also be noted that areas such as Mabvuku, Zimre Park, Ruwa, Epworth, Manyame and Chitungwiza fall under Mashonaland East Province, with Mukuwisi River serving as part of the regional boundary demarcation.
“The Pacific Storm Eastern Region Soccer League does not view the arrangement involving Yadah FC and Heart Stadium as anomalous. Yadah FC are fully entitled to participate in the Eastern Region structures, particularly considering that the club attained Premiership promotion through the Eastern Region pathway and remains affiliated within the region,” reads the response.
But, geographically and administratively, Epworth, Mabvuku as well as the suburb in question – Waterfalls – are suburbs in Harare Metropolitan Province, not Mashonaland East.
