Zimpapers Logo

Diamonds came on board last night with a financial and material package that should boost morale in camp.
The senior national football team will begin a fresh campaign to play at their debut World Cup finals with a tough date against the Sylie Nationale at the National Sports Stadium on Sunday.

In a week in which a lot of focus has unfortunately been thrust on off-the-field matters, with issues related to the Benjani Mwaruwari testimonial taking centre stage, it’s refreshing that Mbada Diamonds finally came along last night to throw the spotlight back on the Warriors. The Warriors appeared to be in the shadow this week, in what should be their time in the spotlight, as issues sparked by the fallout from the Benjani testimonial somehow were allowed to take centre stage.

But there are some companies with a true heart for the game and who value the success of the Warriors, ahead of anything else, and yesterday Mbada Diamonds came along and handed the senior national team their kiss of life.
Mbada Diamonds unveiled a US$75 000 sponsorship package, plus playing kits for Sunday’s World Cup match against Guinea at the giant stadium, with the giant mining company expected to unveil a further US$150 000 for the coming matches against Mozambique and Burundi.

Mbada, who are already sponsoring the prestigious Mbada Diamonds Cup for the Premiership Soccer League, expanded their wings further when they opened a new relationship with Zifa, which is likely to start a long-term marriage with an association that has been struggling to woo the corporate world.

And indications are that the mining firm, if impressed with the way things would have gone in these three international matches, are ready to go into a long-term partnership with Zifa.

Mbada Diamonds have already poured financial resources into Premiership club Buffaloes, who are based in Manicaland Province where they do their mining operations, and they also sponsor the Manicaland Press Club and its football team.
In the past year, the diamond mining firm has become a huge player on the domestic football scene and sponsored Motor Action during their failed bid in the Confederation Cup early this year.

Speaking at the ceremony in the capital last night where the sponsorship package was unveiled, Mbada Diamonds Corporate Sales Executive, George Manyaya, said they were proud to be partners of the Warriors. Another diamond mining firm, Marange Resources, is sponsoring the Mighty Warriors.
The Warriors are the country’s football flagship team and Manyaya said they felt it was important that they also get the corporate support that was obtaining in other structures of the national game.

The event was witnessed by all the Warriors players and the technical team while Mbada Diamonds chief executive, Patience Khumalo, unveiled the Puma home and away strip and Diadora tracksuits that her company donated for the senior national team.
“We are proud to partner the Warriors and sponsor them for their African Cup of Nations qualifier match against Guinea on Sunday,” said Manyaya.

“The package includes a home and away kit and tracksuits, appearance fees totalling US$12 500 and camping allowances totalling US$6 500.
“If our guys win this game, Mbada will on Monday pay a winning bonus of US$50 000 to the team. Unfortunately a draw will attract half the amount and a loss will guarantee a sombre mood to the nation.

“With that in mind, Mbada Diamonds would have played its part and the challenge goes to the boys to play and win and bring joy to the soccer-loving nation and enhance our chances of qualifying, without the need to worry about financial issues, which are usually the perennial problem for our Warriors. We have the talent and Zimbabwe deserves to be the flagship team of Africa. We are harnessing diamonds for the people and being one of the leading mining companies in Zimbabwe,

it is national service to support the national team as we strive to revolutionarise Zimbabwe soccer.”
He saluted the Zifa board for somehow managing to hang on despite a difficult working environment in which there were few sponsors that came on board.

“Special mention goes to the Zifa board and administrators for their sterling work and never-say-die attitude when courting sponsors as it has not been very easy to enter into this marriage,” said Manyaya.

“But today I can say ‘look, we are there now.’ It is our hope that the players, coaches and administrators will maintain a high standard of professionalism and sportsmanship as we lift the Zimbabwe flag high.”

Zifa have had to rely on financial injections from their president, Cuthbert Dube, who has so far loaned more than US$500 000 to the association, drained from his private enterprises, just to keep it afloat. Dube even had to lodge the title deeds of his house to enable Zifa to access a loan with a commercial bank that enabled the Warriors to fly to a Nations Cup qualifier against Mali. Zifa board member (finance), Elliot Kasu, praised the mining firm for partnering them as they begin the

World Cup journey to Brazil on Sunday. “We really feel humbled as the Zifa board to receive such sponsorship after a very dry spell,” said Kasu.