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Sunday Chidzambwa

Grace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter
SUNDAY “Mhofu” Chidzambwa’s leaked conversation, which has lifted the lid on the in-house problems at ZPC Kariba, took a twist yesterday amid indications the club’s leadership could be dissolved.

The veteran gaffer last week revealed he will quit the club at the end of the season as he has failed to meet his targets.

But a clandestinely recorded conversation, which was aired on Star FM’s Daily Sports Zone programme on Tuesday, painted a graphic picture of frosty relations between Chidzambwa and club chairman Tungamirai Mazarire.

Yesterday, the club’s leaders were said to be busy looking for another coach.

But other sources said the management based in Harare, which renewed Chidzambwa’s contract and holds him in high regard, could dissolve the executive.

Mazarire, secretary Robert Mamvura and treasurer Kwinyai Dzura were against the coach’s contract extension and do not enjoy good working relations with the veteran gaffer. A part of the leaked conversation says the chairman once boasted to Mhofu that he didn’t care about his illustrious career.

“Ndabva kuCOSAFA, Mazarire akaburitsa vanhu vese mumeeting akati Mhofu ngavasare. Akandishaudha, hanzi I am an electrical engineer, I don’t get money from football,’’ Mhofu is heard saying.

“Maachievements ako awakaita ndeako ayo, hazvina basa neni. I know you are older than me, but hazvina basa neni.’’

Yesterday, readers on The Herald online platform blasted the executive for interfering with the coach’s work.

One reader wrote, “Electrical Engineer, what has that to do with soccer?’’

Another one, who identified himself as Soko, said:

“I’m really not into soccer. In fact I don’t understand a bit about it. But ana Chidzambwa ava vabva kure nebhora! Why abuse him like that if this story is true?”

Ray Mbada urged the coach to quit.

“Move on Chidzambwa, life goes on with or without an engineer”.

Murape C. Murape castigated Mazarire.

“Don’t mess with our legend. An electrical engineer who cannot design anything and can’t even do a technician’s job competently. You are very, very silly mupfanha iwewe.’’

L. Makombe said, “if it is true that Chidzambwa akashaudhwa and the chairman bragged that he was an engineer, that is inhuman.

“In the African culture nehunhu wedu it is very bad kushaudha someone and let alone an elder to someone. The so-called engineer should know that it is not by his own might, wisdom or strength that he is an engineer, it is by the grace of God.

“Why should one despise or look down upon someone because he thinks he is qualified?

“I have never heard (Strive) Masiyiwa or Bill Gates bragging with what they have but some of us nonenties we think if we have a degree, or even a masters and, worse, influential jobs, we take the position of God.

‘’We are all equal before God. Mhofu has achieved a lot for this country, and yet our engineer and his colleagues have run down ZESA to the extent that people go for months vasina magetsi.

“Shame on you engineer. You need salvation. Dai Mwari vakupenyera waona chiedza.’’ Another reader, Mutema, was also scathing in his attack on the ZPC Kariba chairman.

“Mazarire, you are just an embarrassment to the Engineering profession. Engineers are problem solvers.

“I wonder how you got your qualifications and if you are a real engineer and not a political appointee. As you claim to be an electrical engineer, you are supposed to know the cost implications of pushing the duo out of their contracts with less than ten matches to go.

“They will just smile all the way to the bank and ‘Eng’ Mazarire would have worked. To Mhofu and Brenna (Msiska), never be dampened by some stupid people . . . please don’t hate engineers, real ones are professional.

“You are where you are because you worked hard for your profession,” he said.