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Kenny Ndebele

Eddie Chikamhi Sports Reporter
NEWBOYS ZPC Kariba have finally made steps towards regularising their participation in the Castle Lager Premiership this season after paying their affiliation fees yesterday and are now looking forward to beat tomorrow’s deadline to register their squad.The Kariba-based club, which was promoted into the PSL after winning the Northern Region Division One league, has been undecided whether to take up the slot as their parent company, Zimbabwe Power Company, had not guaranteed sponsorship.

However, it emerged that the power utility company has given the team the green light and yesterday they paid their affiliation fees, after getting deadline extensions from the PSL.

The club’s spokesperson Fadzai Chisveto yesterday confirmed that their team has committed to playing in the Premiership and said they are now finalising paperwork for the registration of the players.

Kariba are coached by Saul Chaminuka and the side had been preparing for the new season all along, while the company was still looking at the feasibility of sponsoring the team in light of the liquidity challenges facing many parastatals.

“I can confirm, once again, that we will be playing in the Premiership this season. We have paid the affiliation fees and we are now working towards the registration of the players at the PSL offices and I am sure we should done with that by tomorrow,” said Chisveto.

The side has since intensified preparations after recruiting seasoned players like Norman Togara, Limited Chikafa, David Rediyoni, Obey Mwerahari, Tawanda Munyanduri and Tawanda Nyamandwe.

Premier Soccer League chief executive, Kenny Ndebele, confirmed Kariba had paid their affiliation fees and had promised to send their team register today.

PSL were facing a dilemma over the delays by ZPC Kariba and Harare City to formalise their participation in the new season and had indicated they would consult Zifa if the teams fail to meet the deadline tomorrow.

Harare City had still not submitted a register of their players by yesterday.  Ndebele said tomorrow’s deadline is final and cannot be moved.

Harare City were expected to submit their register last Friday while newboys Kariba had been given an extended grace period until today to put their house in order after requesting more time.

Ndebele said they will be faced with an unusual situation if the deadline is not met by any of the two teams and may consider guidance from Zifa with the view to replace them.

“It’s something unusual. We have not encountered such this situation before and (if they fail to meet the deadlines this week) we will have to consult the board and most probably engage Zifa as well for the way forward.

“But from the communication we have with the clubs I don’t think it would be that bad a situation. It appears like it’s a matter of protocol and some internal issues that need to be sorted out by the clubs themselves,” said Ndebele.

Harare City chairman Leslie Gwindi also told The Herald that his team have finalised their squad and were supposed to submit the list yesterday.

City have since paid their affiliation fees despite their delay in registering players.

The cause for their delay could not be ascertained but it must have to do with the debate in the council meetings where some councillors are querying the estimated US$1,6m budget for the team, which they felt was draining their coffers, at a time the council was facing tough times.

The Premiership league games have been pencilled to get underway on April 5.

The season will officially get underway this Sunday with the semi-finals of the Independence Cup which will feature the top four teams from last season.