VaShagare: Charlie, who took the Bob Cup money?

CHARLES MABIKA said a lot but little of substance as the Bob 92 Super Cup was cancelled at the very last minute following Dynamos’ refusal to travel to Bulawayo before being paid their dues for winning last year’s edition.

A man who has made a name through his use words could not give a satisfactory explanation as to why DeMbare were yet to be paid, a year after beating Caps United 1-0.

Dynamos chairman Kenias Mubaiwa was fuming.

“We won the tournament last year but we did not get our prize money.

“What we are simply telling them is that Dynamos is refusing to be used.

“If they give us the US$50 000 they owe us, we will get onto the road to Bulawayo soonest.

“We are in support of the cause of this tournament but as Dynamos we feel they (organisers) want to use our big brand for their financial benefit,” he said.

And Mabika mumbled.

“We really sympathise with Dynamos and the other clubs because they deserve to be rewarded for taking part in last year’s edition.

“However, it must be noted that the non-payment of last year’s prize monies was caused by events that were beyond our control,” said the veteran broadcaster.

Surely Mabika, together with organising committee chairperson Stan Kasukuwere, can do better than this non-statement.

You see, Charlie is a good guy but one of his weaknesses is trying to be everyone’s favourite bloke.

He avoids stepping on people’s toes and for decades he has managed to stay out of trouble by saying the things that people like to hear.

But there are times when a man has got to do what a man has got to do. This is one of those times.

Charlie knows the names of the youthful comrades who took the money but does not have the bolts to say it publicly.

There is no need to ask: “Nhai munhu akatora mari anogarepi? Pane angapupure here? (Where does the guy who took the money stay? Can someone bear testimony?”

It’s a matter of public knowledge.

Already Zifa president Philip Chiyangwa has said he doesn’t want to see Kasukuwere and Mabika anywhere near the organisation of the Bob Super Cup.

I cannot vouch for Stan and Charles on anything that happened before last year’s edition, but as for the 2015 drama, Yours Truly can safely say they were not among the team that took over manning the gates on the day of the final and allegedly went on to share the gate takings at Rainbow Towers.

Hopefully the authorities will get to the bottom of this one and also come up with a way of hosting such an important tournament without dragging the name of the President into the mud.

And such an important tournament should not feature two hand-picked teams: it must be all encompassing as the man it seeks to celebrate is a man of the people.

Humbly, I suggest that it starts at the village level until it boils over into the Premier Soccer League.

It should be run by a reputable committee because we have had enough controversy.

I also hear the Bob 92 Basketball Tournament was also a scandal but that is not my bone to chew, it’s for the bigger guys to handle.

Just like Maxwell Takaendesa Jongwe, the Zifa technical director who knew where to take the match-fixing scandal allegations, Yours Truly is dropping off this one at the doorstep of those whose job is to deal with such matters.

I am just a Leeroy, a whistle blower.

VaShagare exits the scene!

VaShagare is the founder of DeMbare DotComs and can be contacted on that Facebook page as well as the email shagare18area.gmail.com