Chronicle EditorLovemore Dube, Zimpapers Sports Hub
ZIMBABWE Saints Football Club may yet live to fight another day and perhaps take the field again, after Zifa Southern Region lawyers offered a rare olive branch, amid a fierce standoff over the club’s expulsion from the 2025 Division One League.
It’s been weeks of drama and dashed hopes for Chauya Chikwata, one of Zimbabwe’s most iconic football institutions. The club was voted out of the Southern Region Division One League, after failing to settle its affiliation fees for the new season, while still owing money from the previous year. Alongside them, Victoria Falls-based Golden Lions were also shown the exit door for similar financial non-compliance.
But the storm may be starting to clear.
Member clubs, some of whom had been vocally critical of Zimbabwe Saints’ conduct at the Zifa Southern Region Assembly, are now softening. A few have even admitted that emotions may have triumphed over logic in the moment, blaming Saints’ leadership for adopting what they perceived as a confrontational stance.
Despite the tension, Saints have not sat idle. They’ve been engaged in a steady legal back-and-forth with Zifa and this week, a letter from Sengweni Legal Practice, Zifa’s attorneys, gave the Saints camp a reason to breathe. Still, it came with a sting.
“While we observe that Zimbabwe Saints Football Club does not dispute that they fell short of their obligations to the Southern Region League, we equally observe that Zimbabwe Saints Football Club themselves are not singing one song,” the letter noted — a reference to alleged divisions within the club’s ranks.
Indeed, it has emerged that a faction within the Saints setup is against the idea of the team returning to football entirely.
Club chairman, Tawanda Ruzive confirmed receiving the latest communication via their legal counsel, T Hara and Partners.
“We are happy there is room for our pleas to be heard. The two parties will meet next Tuesday. We want to preserve the legacy left by great men like former Vice President Joseph Msika, Ministers Oliver Munyaradzi and Herbert Ushewokunze and legendary football figures like Gibson Homela, Ebson Muguyo, Andrew Kadengu, Musa Muzanenhamo and Zebron Magorimbo,” said Ruzive.
The letter from Zifa’s lawyers, although warning against court action, advocated for open dialogue and common ground.
“Without much ado, I implore you to adopt the conciliatory route where all stakeholders are taken on board and an amicable solution, which furthers the interests of football is targeted and possibly arrived at.”
Zimbabwe Saints had initially threatened legal action to stop the 2025 fixtures from proceeding, but with this latest development, the tone has shifted to one of cautious optimism.
“It is our client’s wish as the custodians of the game and its rules in our region to ensure that there is harmony and brotherly and mutual efforts to promote the game, which benefits the youth, our future stars,” the letter reads.
Whether Zimbabwe Saints return to the field or not may hinge on the outcome of Tuesday’s meeting. But for now, hope has returned to a club that once defined the spirit of Bulawayo football and still might again.
Online Reporter