DYNAMOS outcast Denver Mukamba claims the Harare football giants owe him three months’ salary and part of his signing-on fees, but will not pester the club because he “loves it very much”.
BY HENRY MHARA
The midfielder — who is currently banned from joining up with the rest of the squad in their pre-season preparations for the upcoming campaign due to disciplinary problems — spoke exclusively to NewsDay Sports last Friday on a range of issues, including his failing relationship with coach Mutasa, his alleged substance abuse and about his future in football.
During the interview conducted at his family home in Highfield, Mukamba alleged that he had not been receiving his salary since the end of season last season and was now doing menial jobs to sustain his family.
Mukamba stays with his grandmother, Gogo Kawinga (who raised the star after the death of his mother), his wife and their two children and a host of cousins.
“I have not received my salary for a while now. I’m doing some minor jobs to take care of my grandmother and the whole family. I’m a man; I have to provide for the family one way or the other. What I cannot do is to moan about my financial situation to the Press every day,” Mukamba said.
“Even though I’m not getting my salary, I will not speak ill about the club because I love this institution very much. I’m just waiting and hoping that they will send through my salary. I last received my salary in November last year. When I ask them, they promise that they will send it through. But I’m not worried much about that because I have been through that for most of my football career.
“When I started to play professional football with Kiglon FC, we would go for about eight months without getting a cent but I would soldier on. Failing to get a salary should not be the end of my life. I have been in this situation before. And even when I go for about two months without a salary, people around me will not even notice it because my life will go on as normal. I will find other means of getting money to sustain my family.”
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Mukamba signed a two-year contract last June on his return from an unsuccessful stint in South Africa. According to him, he was supposed to receive $20 000 in signing-on fees, but was only given a car as part of the deal, worth $6 500. He is yet to receive the balance.
“The club still owes me part of my signing-on fee. I would have made a lot of noise about it, but I’m playing it cool because, like I said, I love the club.”
The forward’s relationship with Mutasa has reached an irreconcilable stage due to disciplinary issues which include bunking training sessions, going AWOL and alleged substance abuse.
But the club’s executive, mindful of the costs associated with terminating such a contract, which they can hardly afford, has tried but in vain, to convince Mutasa to take Mukamba back in.
Mutasa is standing his ground. Mukamba is hoping that the whole saga is concluded soon.
“They should make a decision so that I can make a plan. If they don’t want me anymore, they should say so, so that I can move forward. This is not the end of the world, it’s part of life. But If they still want me, I’m ready to join up with the squad like now. Dynamos remain my first team and I will always love them.”
Mukamba, who has pleaded to be accepted back into the club, said he would report for duty this morning when the squad resume their training for the week.
