Bothwell Mahlengwe
Memory Mucherahowa’s letter to George Shaya is one that you wouldn’t want your former captain to write to you in your times of distress. In such times, Shaya would be expecting words of comfort and sympathy especially from your former general.

Shona is a rich language with many sayings about being good to your subordinates as fortunes are known to reverse without notice. Many idioms come to mind. Like ‘Chirere mangwana chigozokurerawo’, ‘Natsa kwawabva kwaunoenda husiku’, ‘Kudya zvevapfupi nekureba’ and ‘Mwari haasi wemunhu umwe’. Even the late System Tazvida pencilled a song ‘Vaforomani’ encouraging bosses to be fair to their subordinates.

I have read many of Mucherahowa’s articles and they have all been about looking for ways to assist in the development of his beloved Dynamos and football in Zimbabwe in general.

Not this one!! This one is full of rage and spite. It’s an uncharacteristic of the former great captain. I regard Mucherahowa as the greatest captain Dynamos has ever had followed by Desmond Maringwa. He was small in stature but big at heart, character and deeds. I also think Mucherahowa will make a good leader for the club in the future that is if he decides to come back.

The most worrying thing is this issue happened in 1998 and 17 years later Mucherahowa has decided to let it off his chest. With the way he has the details of what transpired it means he was bitter about it then, has always been bitter since and is still bitter about it now.

Every Dynamos person knows the battles that were fought in that 1998 Champions League journey. It was not easy in the African jungle but Sunday Chidzambwa and his troops soldiered on until the bitter end and naturally expecting to reap rewards for their sacrifices. But as we are told now, some benefited more and some didn’t get what they expected as per promises made and when they questioned the system they were punished.

However, there is another school of thought that says the great captain wasn’t so great with his finances.

Reports I have been getting are that besides being one of the players who were being paid more than others in winning bonuses Mucherahowa actually got a bigger share from this Champions League campaign exploits.

I am told that he got around ZW$150,000.00 an amount that was decent enough to buy you at least one house in the high density suburbs. In actual fact some of the junior players bought houses and stands from the money they received from the campaign.

I am also told that it was explained to the players as to how the money was going to be distributed since it is obvious the club had accrued costs in funding the campaign. However, Mucherahowa couldn’t understand this.

If this is true then it’s worrying and more has to be done to educate our players on the business and finance side of football. It actually saves them from embarrassing themselves blaming others when they were irresponsible.

Maybe one day Lloyd Hove will be able to give the executive’s side of the story.

What is a fact is that Mucherahowa and company didn’t get what they had been promised for their exploits.

It is said they got half of what they had been promised. The people who benefited were not the players but among them was the then chairman who as Mucherahowa claims got a house in Glen Norah.

Fast forward 17 years later, pretty much the same is repeated albeit in another form of ungratefulness. Murape Murape is Dynamos longest serving player of all time. He was part of that team that nearly won the Champions League in 1998.

He was part of the team that bowed out in the semi-finals of the same competition in 2008. He was also part and most importantly the captain of the Dynamos domineering act of 2011 to 2014.

One would expect at least a single act of appreciation from the club leadership after such an illustrious career serving your beloved team. But that is not the Dynamos’ style. Once they have used you and they feel you no longer part of their plans they throw you into the dustbins.

The way Murape has been frozen out is painful and saddening. No one bothered to sit him down and discuss with him about his plans.

The least that people could do is give him audience and hear about his plans and then explain to him that he no longer features in the club’s plans.

I feel the way the club is treating its players is not right and fair. Most are leaving the club bitter and angry hence letters like the one Gwenzi wrote. I don’t think a testimonial match for your most illustrious son would kill.

Get to play against your bitter rivals, Caps United and the proceeds from that game goes to Murape as a ‘thank you and a goodbye’. It’s that simple. Who wouldn’t feel appreciated by such a gesture?

It’s not surprising though at Dynamos. It happened again with Desmond Maringwa. When Dynamos felt they no longer needed his services no one bothered to sit him down and explain the situation.

Like Murape, Maringwa was part of the classes of 1998 and 2008. This is the same man who had fought hard to recover from a horrible injury serving his country.

Hobbling along Desmond led Dynamos with so much astute and pride like no other captain. When the team seemed to be losing its culture and direction, Maringwa and Murape stood as the beacons and radars giving guidance and direction to the new Dynamos personnel.

I am told there were times when the executive couldn’t get through to the players only for the intervention of Maringwa to save the day. But when the club felt his services were no longer needed they just ignored him like he never existed.

The same can be said of the record breaking coach, Callisto Pasuwa. After giving the club the bragging rights as the undisputed kings of Zimbabwe football, Pasuwa has to resort to the legal route to get his dues.

The lame excuse given by the Dynamos executive is that they couldn’t get hold of Pasuwa. Seriously? Why would one want to take advantage of their position and deny someone what is rightly theirs?

I think what most club’s executives don’t realise is that to some football is their life.

That’s where they get their livelihood and the moment you deny them their dues it’s not only the player who suffers but the whole clan.

And when it’s karma time, people say it’s not the right platform.

Bothwell Mahlengwe is a banker and former Premiership footballer and can be contacted, for feedback, on the email [email protected]

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