Andrew
Langton Nyakwenda
SPECULATION over Harare City Football Club’s future was put to rest Wednesday morning after the council-owned Premier Soccer League side got timely backing from its shareholder.
There has been uncertainty over the future of Harare City, whose players are owed outstanding salaries by a club rumoured to have been disbanded early this year.
Sources claim Town House officials were split on whether to continue to bankroll the team or not, especially considering the challenging environment occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic.
Some believe this would be a waste of resources by a council that is failing to provide basic services to residents.
However, the Information and Publicity Committee – which is in charge of sporting activities in the city and comprises of 10 councillors from various wards in Harare – threw its weight behind Harare City Football Club in the presence of players, coach Lloyd Chitembwe, club chair Alois Masepe and club CEO Tafadzwa Bhasera at ZB Sports Club on Wednesday morning.
“Our support (for the club) is going to be 100 percent,” chairperson of the committee Eugenia Chipfiwa said.
“In life we have different opinions, some do not like sport, others like it, but as the committee in charge of sport in the council, we are fully behind the team,” she added.
The 10-member committee is made up of Chipfikwa, Martin Matinyanya (Ward 4 Mbare), Tracy Chagaresango (Ward 3 Mbare), Media Mudariki (Belvedere), Partson Tafadzwa Mangwiro (Mbare National), Brian Matione (Ward 13 Southerton-Rugare), Loveness Gomba (Mufakose-Marimba), Mercy Kasvosve (Mabvuku-Tafara), Theresa Manase (Hatfield), and Adonia Shoko (Ward 44 Kuwadzana).
There were reports in January that the football club had been disbanded.
But they were quickly quashed by the club’s spokesperson, Michael Chideme, while the club’s failure to keep up to date with their salary schedule has also been topical.
Chipfikwa reiterated council’s support and pledged to clear the arrears.
“Those (disbandment) were just mere rumours; that’s why we are here today to assure the players and coaches.
“We are giving them (team) 100 percent support,” she said.
“I want to assure that Harare City Football Club will be around when the 2021 season starts, and it will be firing from all the cylinders.
“As council, it is our mandate to support communities, so by having a soccer club we are also supporting our ratepayers – it’s our mandate.
“We have the Education, Housing and Social Services Department responsible for the social services; that is, community soccer, community netball, so we also have to have our own sports teams as a way of supporting the community.
“It’s also our mandate as council to maintain sports facilities, so when we are supporting this club, we are also doing our mandate on social services.”
Harare City made their Premiership debut in 2012 and came close to winning the league title the following season under the guidance of Bigboy Mawiwi.
The Sunshine Boys are the most successful club in the Chibuku Super Cup, having won the premium trophy twice since its reintroduction in 2014.
The team also won the cup in 2015 and 2017, and were finalists in 2014 and 2018.
Online Reporter