Harare City are mulling to buy their way back into the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League after they were relegated in the just-ended season.
By Sports Reporter
The big spenders dropped to Division One together with Bantu Rovers, Tsholotsho and Hwange, but will seek an immediate return via the cheque book, Harare mayor and fierce critique of the team Bernard Manyenyeni revealed.
Manyenyeni celebrated the team’s relegation in a Facebook post yesterday and suggested that the residents should congratulate them following the team’s drop to the unfashionable Division One.
In protest over the millions that were being spent on football at the expense of service delivery, Manyenyeni even quit his post as team patron.
He cited the abuse of ratepayers’ funds at the club and also questioned the logic behind the council’s decision to inject $2 million into the team at a time the council was struggling to provide residents with decent services.
The city fathers have also received a barrage of criticism from residents over poor service delivery despite collecting millions in rates. They charged that the council was channelling resources to the team at the expense of service delivery.
At one point, the residents stormed the mayor’s office with a petition demanding that he trim a delegation of 43 that included council officials for a trip to Madagascar where the Sunshine City Boys were supposed to play a football match in that country.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
Manyenyeni’s post on Facebook read: “When do you residents ever get to praise us?
“After blowing $6m chasing a ball all over the country, surely Hararians should congratulate us for being demoted from the Premier Soccer League last Saturday. We could buy any player any day and easily sit them on the bench,” he wrote.
“We had more coaches than underwear. We have pumped into the Sunshine City FC about six times the average team budget in the same league. We even rejected an all-in team management contract at 25% of our cost. Aren’t we lucky that it’s only ratepayers’ money! The money could have bought 60 garbage compactors which could have served the entire city for 10 years.
For nearly two years we have struggled with a running fleet of about 20. We have run out of diesel even for the depleted fleet.
We have battled with debt and water treatment chemicals. We’ve never run out of football funds – the city treasurer is also team treasurer nice and easy.”
Harare City were demoted from the top-flight league despite edging How Mine 1-0 in their last match of the campaign, as they finished fourth from bottom with 38 points, while Bulawayo City, who finished on 39 points, survived the chop.
