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Ishemunyoro Chingwere Harare Bureau
WARRIORS coach Kallisto Pasuwa is yet to be paid his salary for February and March despite claims by Zifa and their partner Wicknel Chivhayo that the gaffer is being well looked after, it has been established. Our Harare Bureau has it on good authority that Pasuwa is yet to be paid a cent since signing a two-year performance based contract on February 8. 
The issue has also seen Warriors skipper Willard Katsande stepping up and reportedly telling Chivhayo, during a meeting last week, that the uncertainty surrounding Pasuwa’s remuneration was affecting the players.
Sources who were plugged into the meeting said Chivhayo promised to “get to the bottom of the matter.”
The gaffer’s close confidantes yesterday revealed that Pasuwa, whose men are three points clear of the chasing pack in Group L’s race to the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, is in a financial quagmire.
A fortnight ago he reportedly failed to raise tuition fees and air fares for his daughter who had secured a place with a Chinese University to study International Law. Pasuwa also faces eviction from the Greendale house he is staying in as rentals have not been paid.
Warriors players also claim that Zifa lied that the team shared $72 000 in cash a few hours after their breathtaking 4-0 destruction of Swaziland on Easter Monday. The senior national team players say they only shared $40 000, which was taken from the match’s gate takings, with a promise being made that a further $34 000 from Chivhayo was on its way. That $34 000, although now in Zifa’s account, is yet to reach the players.
But it is the astounding revelation that Pasuwa is yet to receive his salary for the months of February and March that has laid bare the bottled smoke the nation has been fed by Zifa.
Pasuwa and his manager Gibson Mahachi refused to speak about the salary situation presumably for fear of straining their relationship with the Phillip Chiyangwa led Zifa executive. However, a reliable source confirmed the situation.
“We only read about these monies in your newspapers but the reality is that you guys are being fed with lies,” said the source.
“It’s true, Pasuwa has not been paid a single cent since he signed the $7 000 a month contract but he will not speak about it for obvious reasons. The major challenge now is that this situation is affecting life at home . . . only two weeks ago he failed to raise money needed by his daughter who had secured a place with a Chinese University.
“He is even struggling to pay rent at his new residence in Greendale after being persuaded to move from Chitungwiza because they said the town did not befit a national coach. I am not very sure of why the bosses are lying to the media that all is well when in actual fact it’s not. For your own information the players threatened to pull out of the Swaziland match on Easter Monday only for them to be persuaded to play a few hours before kickoff.”
Chiyangwa refused to comment arguing that he wanted to concentrate on his business which had suffered due to his Zifa induced absence. “I am not talking about that this week. Why don’t you enjoy the victory we gave you on Monday while I catch up with things in my business?” he said.
Chivhayo, who committed himself to paying Pasuwa’s salary and even claimed to be ready to buy the gaffer’s wife a car soon after the mauling of Swaziland, was hostile.
“You guys are bothering me with such questions. My question to you is why you want to waste time on negative things when there are plenty positive stories to write?” he queried.
Then came a subtle admission!
“But since it bothers you so much, I am going to make sure that he gets his money,” he said.
Online Reporter