Uhuru woes for teams

Raymond Jaravaza
FOUR Premier Soccer League clubs that participated in the 2016 Independence Trophy are still to be paid their prize monies a month after the cup tournament was played, B-Metro Sport can reveal.

Chicken Inn beat Highlanders 2-1 in a tightly contested all Bulawayo affair that was played at the National Sports Stadium in Harare on 18 April a�� the day that marked the countrya��s 36 years of independenceA� – while FC Platinum beat Dynamos 2-0 in a third place play off in Bulawayo on the same day.

But all the teams are yet to receive a cent from the organisers of the cup, the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC).

The government, through the Treasury, released $35 000 for the Uhuru Cup.

According to a letter seen by this publication, which was signed by the then chief executive officer of the Zimbabwe Football Association Jonathan Mashingaidze on 13 April, the winners of the trophy were to pocket $20 000 with the runners up getting $15 000.

The third and fourth place finalists would take home $10 000 and $5 000 respectively.

The organisers also undertook to accommodate a 30-member delegation for each team that reached the final in Harare as well as $1 000 for fuel.

Highlanders who travelled to the capital city for the final only received $150 for fuel.

The $35 000 grant was instead used for other expenses, according to the SRC acting director general Joseph Muchechetere.

a�?We (SRC) together with Zifa had initially under budgeted for the total costs of running the Independence Cup such as transporting the teams, accommodation and other logistics so we asked for permission from the government to use the $35 000 grant to pay service providers,a�? said Muchechetete.

The SRC had hoped the semi final matches, which fans paid to watch, would generate enough money to cater for the running of the tournament.

But that was not the case.

a�?We had hoped gate takings from the two semi final matches would be enough to pay service providers but that was not the case so we had no choice but to use the government grant,a�? he said.

The final match in Harare as well as the third place play off in Bulawayo were free of charge.

Muchechetere could, however, not give a date as to when the teams can expect their cheques.

a�?a�?We are working flat out with the Ministry of Sport and Recreation to raise the money but I cannot give a specific date as to when the teams will be paid. We will advise in due course and we would like to plead with the teams to be patient,a�? he added. .