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Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter
DYNAMOS’ principal sponsors Sakunda Holdings have urged the Harare giants to resolve the long-standing ownership wrangles that have threatened to tear the club apart in the last few decades.
The Glamour Boys, who along with Highlanders entered into a lucrative sponsorship deal worth a combined US$5.3 million for three years, are currently battling the old demons after a group of former players and club legends challenged the legality of board chairman Bernard Marriot’s tenure and his 51 percent shareholding claim.
The matters are currently playing out at the Harare Magistrates courts. However, Sakunda Holdings warned the continued bickering could affect future sponsorship deals and urged the warring parties to find common ground.
The energy giants yesterday wrote to the principal actors in the ownership wrangles – Marriot and Ernest Kamba – to amicably resolve the shareholder and management disputes.
The two received identical correspondences via Chimuka Mafunga Commercial Attorneys in which they were advised to look at the issues with urgency.
“We refer to the above matter in which we act for and on behalf of the club Sponsors. We confirm that several meetings were held by the Sponsors’ representatives and the club’s warring camps from around September 2021 to June 2022 whereat the sponsors sought to help resolve the current impasse involving the shareholding of the club.
“That notwithstanding, it appears that the historical issues have not yet been resolved. The Sponsors take the view that the quick and final resolution of the shareholder disputes is crucial to the smooth running of the club for the benefit of the shareholders, management, fans and the entire constituency of stakeholders,” wrote Norman Chimuka.
The age-old bickering resurfaced at Dynamos recently after a group of former Dynamos players challenged Marriot’s legitimacy and then formed a parallel 10-member board of trustees led by Kamba.
The other members of the board are David George, Moses Chunga, Clayton Munemo, Labani Kandi, Makwinji Soma-Phiri and Gina Kapfunde.
But Sakunda Holdings, in their efforts to see peace prevailing and also getting a good return on their investment, have proposed professional mediation to assist the warring factions so that permanent solutions are found and allow the club to attract more partners.
“Considering the current situation, we are instructed to propose that a mediation process be conducted involving all the parties in dispute to allow for a resolution of the historical issues.
“The mediation process will be conducted without prejudice to any rights that each of the parties have and will have no effect on any past or present legal proceedings involving the parties. The parties can consult their professional advisors for guidance and representation in the whole process.
“Should the parties be amenable to the above proposal, we propose that the mediation be conducted by Advocate T Magwaliba of Advocates Chambers and any retired judge(s) appointed by any of the following arbitral institutions in Zimbabwe:
Africa Institute of Mediation and Arbitration (AIMA), or;
Alternative Dispute Solutions Centre (ADSC), or;
Harare Commercial Arbitration Centre (CAC).
“We advise that the Sponsors take a serious view to the resolution of the impasse as it affects any future sponsorship deals. May we hear from you regarding the above proposal at your earliest convenience. We now await to hearing from you,” said Chimuka.
Online Reporter