adminmanning his beef outlets in Harare, Rusape, Mutare and Chitungwiza as well as overseeing his multi-million-dollar worth of properties and businesses in the capital and other parts of the country.
However, out of such a tight schedule, Gijima Msindo, one of the pioneer black investors in football clubs in the country, still follows the developments of the sport that he calls his DNA from his Gijima Farm about 20km outside Rusape, along the Mutare-Harare Highway. Msindo is credited for initiating a paradigm shift in local football ownership in the 1990s when he became the first Zimbabwean black businessman to own a club in the Premiership — Fire Batteries FC. The other crop of black businessman to be inspired by his initiative later included Delma Lupepe (Amazulu), Ronnie Chihota, the late Joel Salifu (Blackpool), Solomon Mugavazi (Monoz), Eric Rosen (Motor Action) and Methembe Ndlovu (Bantu Rovers), among others.
Samuel Kadungure (SK), the Senior Reporter at our sister paper The Manica Post, recently caught up with Lovemore Gijima Msindo (LGM) at his farm where the former Fire Batteries director even threw in some unexpected revelations on the state of the Zimbabwean football, the controversial Asiagate saga, Government’s failure to support sport and called on former footballers to challenge the powers that be at Zifa in the next election.
The following ensued . . .
SK: Welcome Mr Gijima Msindo.
LGM: Thank you, the pleasure is mine.
SK: Can you tell the readers who Lovemore Gijima Msindo is in the Zimbabwean football context?
LGM: Lovemore Gijima Msindo is a businessman who was born and bred in Masvingo. I was born to an average family, but managed to work so hard to become the first black Zimbabwean millionaire after independence. I value two words in my life — profit and loss. I also pioneered the entry of black Zimbabwe businessmen into football. I was the first to own a club in the Premiership. I started Fire Batteries FC from Division Two, and got promoted to Division One and it was again promoted on the first attempt to the Premier Soccer League in 1993.
Fire Batteries was a founder club of the current PSL after teams decided to break away from Zifa because it had failed to address a number of issues affecting clubs. The reason we broke away from Zifa was that we were not happy with the way football was being run, especially on the aspect of gate takings . . . We were paid peanuts, considering what we were putting into the game.
We wanted to do things on our own. We elected Morrison Sifelani as chairman and Chris Sibanda, then with Black Rhinos, the secretary-general. These were the shrewdest administrators this country has ever produced. They were by far better than these pretenders we are seeing today.
SK: What was the secret behind Fire Batteries’ popularity and ability to produce some of the finest footballers who ended up plying their trade abroad?
LGM: Well, the reason was simple — Fire Batteries was always identified with the community. On realising that my community was awash with raw talent, I started a programme to identify young talent at schools and cater for their educational and social needs.
I would sponsor talented players from primary to secondary school level, even to university level depending on their capability. And the community paid us back by supporting us because I was helping their children.
I was paying fees for the kids at schools like Prince Edward. We offered some of the best sporting facilities for training of these players. We used to catch them young and gave them proper sport guidance. We were training them the way to go and they never departed from it.
SK: Who were some of the finest players that passed through your talent identification and educational programme?
LGM: The most successful players to pass through Fire Batteries FC include Mike Maringa, who became my first player to join South African soccer giants Kaizer Chiefs in 1994.
He was 19 and played alongside the likes of Lucas Radebe and Doctor Khumalo. He was a magnificent player, but unfortunately he suffered a career-threatening injury and could not continue for the duration of this three-season contract. I also produced Charles Yohane, who played Amazulu and Wits University in South Africa.
There’s also Innocent Chikoya, Gilbert Mushangazhike and the late Lewis Kutinyu whom I took to Manning Rangers and he helped the Gordon Igesund-coached side to win the championship. I later took Gilbert to Germany where he played for Kickers Emden FC, which was in Division Three, for three seasons before coming back to play for Rangers and then Orlando Pirates.
Kelvin Mushangazhike was a product of Fire Batteries and his skills took him to South Africa where he became a darling at Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs.
I recruited all these players when they were still young and nurtured them to stardom. They were many (other) players and they owe it to me. Fire Batteries FC had no habit of buying players from other clubs, it produced the best from its junior policy and it paid dividends for the nation.
SK: Where were you getting the money to pour into your Fire Batteries project?
LGM: I was a millionaire when Zimbabwe got independence in 1980. I got all my money from Chitungwiza, which is where my enterprises are.
SK: What nature of businesses were you into in Chitungwiza then?
LGM: I have a lot of properties, not only houses, but offices, hospitals and shops which qualifies me as a landlord. I am also a farmer and a rancher. I was also involved in clothing material business, which had outlets in Highfield, Harare’s CBD, Chegutu, Gweru and Zvishavane.
SK: Football is a global sport and during your reign as the Fire Batteries director where did it take you?
LGM: Well, it took me to Germany with Gilbert, I was in the United Kingdom with Hussein Amidu for trials at Crystal Palace. I had strong links with John Fashanu, who invited me to bring the player. I went to South Africa with Mike Maringa before facilitating trials for Kaitano Tembo (who was with Dynamos) at Seven Stars in Cape Town. I was his agent.
SK: Who else did you assist as a player agent?
LGM: There was also George Charambarara, Milton Mushambi, the late Lewis Kutinyu and Innocent Chikoya, among others.
SK: Why did you quit football?
LGM: Zimbabwean football is pathetic, it is not viable. I was in football as a hobby. I quit to concentrate on farming because I was not getting anything out of it. In Europe teams in lower divisions play before capacity crowds, but here in Zimbabwe it is only Dynamos, Highlanders and at times CAPS United that command such huge support bases. For the rest of the teams, it’s not viable.
Look at Motor Action and Monoz, who at one point were the champions and still play with empty terraces. If 300 spectators pay their way they would have a record crowd, which goes to show that football is not viable for these small teams.
SK: What corrective measurers would you recommend to turn football into a more viable sport?
LGM: A lot must be done. First, we need people who have got money, powerful sponsorship packages to encourage completion. If we have five companies and individuals pouring money like what Mbada Diamonds is doing, definitely football will end up attracting a lot of people.
Look at the Mbada Diamonds final between Dynamos and Monoz, there were over 30 000 fans and that makes the game viable. But if you were going to watch Monoz play, say Chicken Inn, at the same venue, you would hardly see 300 fans. Dynamos are lucky because they are supported politically.
SK: What do you mean that Dynamos is supported politically?
LGM: The majority of people sympathise with the cause for which the club was formed in 1963. It was formed by individual players who chose to challenge white dominion in sport. At the same time we had Salisbury Callies, which was always winning games because the refereeing then was dominated by whites . . . it was pathetic. That was when talented players like Obediah Sarupinda, Freddy Mkwasha, the late Richard Chiminya and Josiah Akende, Bernard Marriott decided to form Dynamos. People sympathised with such a history, which has made Dynamos more like a political party.
SK: What is your opinion on the Asiagate scandal?
LGM: Zifa has messed up things. They have made a huge mistake in the sense that instead of acquitting innocent souls, they punished them to settle personal scores. The very people that were supposed to face the music, like Joey Antipas were let off the hook, yet he confessed receiving the money, which goes to show that he was part and parcel of the rot. And what do they do? They pin down Norman Mapeza, who has denied any involvement, because they do not want to pay him what they owe him.
Where is the fairness? They should have nailed those who participated, not the players really, but I think the real cancer had to do with the administrators. The mistake lies with the administrators. You will find that some of these youngsters were in the dark; they were never told what was transpiring. I think the Asiagate investigation itself was a scandal worse than the original scandal.
SK: Was the Asiagate scandal the first of its kind in the history the Zimbabwean football or is it just a tip of the iceberg?
LGM: It is the first of its kind. Nothing of this sort happened during our days. We had some of the best and most credible administrators — the likes of John Madzima and Nelson Chirwa — who were people of high reputation and capabilities. People like the former Zifa boss Job Kadengu led football with distinction. It is unfortunate that at the moment most of the guys are into football for money. They do not have football at heart.
SK: What is your rating of Cuthbert Dube and his (Zifa) board?
LGM: Cuthbert Dube had a football club before assuming the chairmanship of Zifa, and that explains why he is a saint in a crocodile infested pool. He has put a lot of money into football, but I want to tell you, if you have a nice house in a poor location, you will never be able to identify the beauty of that house.
This guy is on his own, so there is nothing he can do because if you look at the amount of money he has put in football, but he is not getting any credit out of it, so there is no need for him to continue wasting his time and money because he is running football with a bunch of idiots. Their behaviour is criminal.
SK: In what ways is it criminal?
LGM: They are not football administrators, they are there for money. We have a guy who owns Monoz (Mungavazi), he has put in a substantial amount of money in football, we also have Eric Rosen, who has invested substantially again — those are the people that should be running Zifa because they have already invested in a sport they love.
They have interests in football unlike the likes of Ndumiso Gumede, who has been in the game for too long, without bringing any new ideas in the game. He has outlived his welcome and must go and go now. He is a confusionist and a spent force. He has never put his cent in the game, apart from the fact that he was the chairman of Highlanders. He has not done anything for the game. If he had brilliant ideas, why has he failed to turn Highlanders into a formidable outfit then? If you look at him, you would wonder what record he has.
SK: How do you rate the state of football in Zimbabwe?
LGM: Zimbabwe football is a disaster, I can even call it a scandal — worse than the Asiagate scandal. We need former players, those people who have played football, to run football in this country. We need former players who are credible to be assisted by those with cash and administrative skills. Those are the only people who can save our sinking ship of football.
Former players are the people who must run our football. Look at Zambia, they have people like Kalusha Bwalya who has a record. He has been in the game, now he is their chairman, and it was during his tenure that Zambia lifted Afcon Cup.
The results are there for us to see.
He was a player at home and in Europe, and has done a lot for the game. We need to have our Peter Ndlovus, Moses Chungas, Norman Mapezas, Callisto Pasuwas and others that are involved in the game, to run football in this country. Why are they in the periphery and allowing themselves to be led by people who know nothing, other than the money that football brings. By now we should be having an administrator with a record of playing football. We would be better off if we are having people with a playing history at the helm.
SK: What should the former players do to penetrate into mainstream football administration in this country?
LGM: They must form a pressure group to lobby for certain candidates with a playing history when we are going for elections. The reason why they do not get elected is that they are not united, lack a common vision and some are even ignorant of their own potential and capabilities. They need to be tactical because some of these (Zifa) councillors use money to buy votes, but credibility and integrity will always triumph over evil.
We have all along been electing the wrong calibre of councillors and the trend must change. The people we have voted in are the wrong people to decide the future of the game in our country. We need former players and people who are ready to inject money, not those targeting to have money out of their involvement in the game.
SK: Do you think football clubs are prioritising the welfare of players in Zimbabwe?
LGM: No, and as long as clubs lack big drive in terms of supporters, the situation will remain as pathetic. If they have a big supporters’ base, the chances are better.
Some big clubs have failed to invest and are still extending a begging bowl, which on its own is embarrassing. Players are boycotting training and selling out games and that is not good for football. We are still behind, professionally.
How can a big club like Dynamos fail to make investments? Only Lincoln Mutasa, who had bought some properties for the club in Waterfalls, had a vision, but unfortunately his predecessors sold that land again. Mutasa, Lloyd Hove and Lesley Gwindi, if they had been given time at Dynamos, that club would be owning lots of properties in Harare right now. They had a different idea and vision.
SK: Why is our national team — the Warriors — failing to qualify for major international tournaments?
LGM: We have material to bring results, all we need is to employ a qualified coach for the job and give him time.
SK: A local or foreign coach?
LGM: Local, what do we need a foreign coach for? We need a local coach whom we pay a decent salary. Look where they are making a mistake, Peter Ndlovu was a great player and if he has advanced in having a coaching certificate, it is OK. But you cannot just pick him from nowhere and thrust him as a national coach.
We must test his credentials at club level first, like what was the case with his late brother Adam, Moze (Chunga), Norman (Mapeza) and Rahman (Gumbo). You cannot take Peter Ndlovu from the middle of nowhere like that, these people are just using his name and that is not football. He must be given a lesser challenge to learn the ropes and prove himself.
You cannot take a guy who has retired from Europe because he has got a name, and you make him a national coach. How can the results come with such a set up? We have got people like George Shaya, who was a great player, but was not a good coach.
SK: What then is your take on the appointment of German national Klaus Dieter Pagels as Zimbabwe coach?
LGM: Who has his CV? What is his history? What has he achieved? He is a nonentity and it is not surprising that you may fail to get his credentials on Google. That guy is here to take whatever the Germans had invested in the Government-to-Government deal back home. He is being paid by the grant from Germany. So the Germans would want the money to go back to their country and that is not good for us. We have people doing well like the Mugeyis, Ian Gorowa, Sunday Chidzambwa and Charles Mhlauri, but they are being overlooked. Chidzambwa was the best, but this Asiagate thing makes his case a non-starter. Zifa still owes him, it’s a circus.
SK: What do you think of the Warriors’ failure to qualify for the South Africa Afcon 2013?
LGM: We won’t qualify for anything for as long as Zifa remains our setback. The problem that we are having with these guys is that they are not giving the coaches enough time, and there is a lot of interference in the work of coaches to a point that it becomes unworkable. There is no time for training, players do not come on time, at times wrong players are called, and what is that? Can we call that football? It is also the duty of the Government to pour money in sport. Football unites the nation, and it must be given a special grant. Our Government must follow its South African counterparts.
SK: What do you think of this inaction by the Government?
LGM: The Government is our biggest let down. The reason is simple — they do not know what they are doing. They do not event know that football is a unifier and form of employment. They do not realise that if they put money, they would have fostered unity. Why are they not giving football a grant? Where do they think Zifa will get the money from? Look at what Cuthbert Dube ends up doing, pumping his own money into football. Such a situation is unhealthy, how can an individual carry the burden of a Government?
That is not healthy and who is going to give him his money back? The danger is if you allow the chairman to put his money, in another way, the other executive guys will not take any decision against him because he will be using his money to decide the future of the association. It is wrong.
We need Cuthbert Dube to be there to administer football, not to put his money. If he has some few bucks to spend, he must resuscitate his Buymore FC. He is putting his money and they do not appreciate, so why waste his money. For us to succeed, the State has to play a role and for as long as it doesn’t play that role, we cannot succeed. We cannot rely on individuals to bail the national association. For the corporate world to follow, the Government must take the first step. And (the Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture) David Coltart must wake up, and start lobbying.
He has to advocate and get the grant for sport and not to pay lip service. He must put pressure. Football is good for everybody, not a particular political party. What is stopping our Government from sponsoring football when other governments in Africa are doing it?
Online Reporter