Lizwe Sweswe ‘kidnaps’ Bulawayo Chiefs’ player

IN a shocking turn of events, the football community in Zimbabwe world was set ablaze when reports emerged that former Bulawayo Chiefs coach Lizwe Sweswe, now with Sheasham, allegedly undertook a clandestine mission on Thursday to snatch their on-loan player, Busani Lusinga.

The young and talented right back, who had shown immense promise while donning the colours of Amakhosi Amahle, seems to be the subject of a tug-of-war between his current club and the ambitious Construction Boys.

Rumours spread like wildfire that Sweswe had covertly made the journey from Gweru to the City of Kings under the cover of darkness, supposedly with the intention of persuading Lusinga to sign for Sheasham. This move did not sit well with Bulawayo Chiefs, who were caught off guard by the alleged plot.

Lusinga, who had also showcased his attacking prowess while deployed as a winger, had been a crucial asset to Amakhosi Amahle, along with several other players, including King Joe Sibanda, Khulekani Dube, Ayanda Ncube, and Nkosilathi Ncube. While Lusinga and Dube were on a free loan from Talen Vision, the Ncube brothers had committed themselves to Amakhosi on a permanent basis following the end of their contracts with the Filabusi-based Southern Region Division One side.

The saga took a new twist when Lusinga failed to show up for the Bulawayo Chiefs’ training session, leading to his omission from the final squad set to take on Herentals, a team now under the mentorship of Joseph Sibindi, at Luveve Stadium.

When approached for comment, Sweswe, a league title-winning coach with a notable career at FC Platinum and Tsholotsho FC, vehemently denied the allegations.

“Just call the boy (Lusinga) and ask him about his status. Also go on to ask Bulawayo Chiefs and Talen Vision about the status of the boy. Those who are accusing me of unfounded things, they will get what they want. I will report them to the police. How can I make a decision for a grown-up person like Lusinga and how can I travel from Gweru to Bulawayo to do that since I have a very busy schedule? Anyway if Bulawayo Chiefs want to smear my name let them go ahead. I did not smear theirs when I left the club as I didn’t mention the reasons I quit.”

Complicating matters further, it was revealed that Sweswe was reportedly owed three months’ salary and allowances by financially struggling Amakhosi Amahle, who were experiencing a mass exodus of players.

The situation took on a legal dimension when Talen Vision’s administrator, Hloniphani Ngwenya, confirmed that Bulawayo Chiefs had approached them, alleging that Sweswe had taken Lusinga to Sheasham without their consent.

“Regarding this issue, all I can say is that we were approached by Bulawayo Chiefs telling us that coach Sweswe had allegedly taken their player (Lusinga) to Sheasham without them sanctioning the move. We don’t know anything about that. All that we know is that Lusinga is on a free loan to Bulawayo Chiefs till the end of 2023. All that I can emphasize on is that things should be done in a professional manner,” said Ngwenya.

Amid the turmoil, Bulawayo Chiefs spokesperson Thulani ‘Javas’ Sibanda attempted to quell the storm, assuring fans and the public that the technical department was satisfied with the current player roster.

He said: “We will soon update through our proper channels about any player developments in the team. But for now, our technical department is content. As such, we will stand guided by the technical team and the executive. We enjoy a healthy working relationship with Lusinga’s parent club Talen Vision.” — @FugaiMuderere.