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Kenny Mubaiwa

Grace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter
DYNAMOS president Kenny Mubaiwa has stepped up his bid to become the next Premier Soccer League chairman with the Harare businessman yesterday dangling a number of carrots he hopes will swing the vote in his favour.

Mubaiwa will battle Highlanders chairman Peter Dube in the PSL election on Saturday.

The Dynamos boss was yesterday in confident mood as he stepped up his campaign, promising some marketing strategies aimed at easing the financial burden that clubs in the league are having to grapple with.

Mubaiwa said he was keen to bridge the gap between the traditional big clubs and the smaller sides.

“If elected PSL chairman, firstly, I would like to see all the 16 clubs being recognised and I will have to work with all the clubs because they make up the PSL brand,” said Mubaiwa.

“We want all the 16 clubs to be visible because at the moment we only have a few clubs like Dynamos and CAPS United being recognised and it’s like the small teams do not exist.

“But I believe if a robust marketing strategy is implemented all the clubs will get due recognition because we are a brand of 16 clubs.

“It would be good for each and every team to get its fair share, treated the same and not the current state where the clubs are viewed differently,” said Mubaiwa.

The Dynamos boss is making a second attempt to lead the top-flight after he lost to Twine Phiri in the 2014 election in which he managed just three votes.

Mubaiwa believes he has now done enough to convince the electorate, made up of PSL governors, that he is the right man to lead the top-flight league.

“I have engaged the clubs, outlined my vision and now it is up to them to vote wisely on Saturday. They should give me a chance. I feel that I deserve that’’.

“We want to see if we can partner with ZTA (Zimbabwe Tourism Authority) for special rates for the clubs when they camp away for matches.

“We want all that to be addressed so that the clubs, already burdened with financial challenges, can cut some of the costs.

“Clubs end up faced with no choice but to drive back at night after matches, which is risky for players and their coaching staff.

“So, I am saying that if I’m elected these are some of the concerns I will try to address by engaging other partners operating in those areas.”

Mubaiwa said he would seek to empower the clubs financially, if elected, by availing some grants to the clubs from the PSL coffers.

“The money which comes into the PSL coffers should benefit the clubs in the form of loans whereby clubs can borrow like they do with banks and pay back with a small interest rather than have clubs resorting to micro-finance institutions.

“There is a lot we are pursuing, the PSL brand is strong and I would want to maintain that and grow it to dizzy heights,” said Mubaiwa.