Chronicle Editor
Sports Reporter
IN a bid to fulfil one of the major requirements of the FIFA and CAF Club licensing system, Harare Mayor Bernard Manyenyeni has demanded transparency in the way the Premiership outfit they sponsor — Harare City — transact their business. The Sunshine Boys are funded by the council, which draws its financial resources from the capital city’s ratepayers.
Manyenyeni, who is also the club’s patron, has taken a keen interest in all the council’s sporting activities which has seen the municipality also bankrolling basketball and netball sides.
Earlier, this year the Harare Mayor intervened and ordered the Sunshine Boys’ leadership to cut down on their bloated delegation for a CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round assignment away to Madagascar.
It emerged yesterday that Manyenyeni recently wrote to the Sunshine Boys executive committee seeking to be furnished with schedules of transactions including those of player transfers and salaries in order to ensure there is transparency in the use of the public funds.
“I trust the Sunshine Boys management and players have had a busy playing season, and it was my pleasure to watch the team playing and to follow other games.
“As the year draws to an end it is incumbent upon us to obtain assurances on the financial performance of the team which is funded by the ratepayers of the City.
“I draw a measure of comfort from the indications that there have been two sets of audited accounts for the team. Please can I be furnished with copies of the audited accounts plus management draft accounts from the date of the last external audit.
“For fuller disclosure can I also be favoured with the following;
a) Salary schedule for all officials
b) Salary and bonus schedule for all players
c) Schedule (and copy contracts) for all player movements in and out of the club including transfer amounts and all fees related.
“You will be sensitive to the need for comfort particularly for our council which is operating under severe financial constraints.
“I would be grateful to have the requested information on or before Monday 14th November 2016,” read part of Manyenyeni’s letter.
Although he declined to discuss the issue, the Mayor confirmed that he had been in touch with the club executive over the financial records in line with the tenets of corporate governance and in a bid to comply with club licensing.
Manyenyeni could only say “Yes, someone has to do that check” when asked to confirm and comment on the letter he wrote to the Sunshine Boys.
Online Reporter