By Mark Baber
April 6 – With the Zimbabwean national teams performing well and the Warriors three points clear at the top of their 2017 African Cup of Nations qualifying group, a row which threatens future sponsorship of the national team has broken out after an article in local media revealed the national coach’s ‘Salary Hell’.
According to an article published in the Sunday Mail, national team coach Kallisto Pasuwa has yet to be paid his February and March salary payments, leaving him in danger of being evicted from his home and unable to send his daughter to China to study law. According to the article, the non-payment of salary “has laid bare the bottled smoke the nation has been fed by ZIFA (the Zimbabwe Football Association) with the help of a gullible media.”
The article was also critical of ‘Sir Wicknell’ Chivayo, the millionaire businessman who has promised to pump $1 million into sorting out ZIFA’s financial situation and who paid off the $182,000 debt owed to Belgian coach Tom Saintfiet, thus preventing the country from being excluded from the 2022 World Cup qualifying competition.
The report quotes Chivayo as replying to questions about the current coaches salary by saying: “You guys are bothering me with such questions. My question to you is why do you want to waste time on negative things when there are plenty positive stories to write?” According to the report: “Then came the admission: “But since it bothers you so much, I am going to make sure that he gets his money.””
Reading the report, Chivayo reacted angrily on his Facebook page, in a rant in which he accused Pasuwa of being “ungrateful” for leaking details of his salary situation to the press and the “foolish and overzealous reporter” of needing “psychiatric attention”.
According to Chivayo: “I run multimillion-dollar businesses and I don’t work for ZIFA so if nothing has been communicated to me I’m not supposed to guess, speculate or conjecture.
“It must be noted ZIFA has no bank account and owes creditors $6 million. So many people have writs of execution to attach property or money identified as belonging to ZIFA.
“To ensure players get their money you have to be extremely circumspect and discreet otherwise the money will be intercepted and forfeited.
“My vision was simply to turn around football all in the interest of the nation. I had to reduce my holidays from one every two months to one every four months.”
“From the $1 million I committed as sponsorship to date I have parted with $478 000 and above that Pasuwa’s car cost me $69 000 (Shadreck) Mlauzi’s $41 000,” Chivayo added.
“Simple calculations show almost $600,000 used in three months as opposed to the agreed three years. If I say I have given players $72,000 and 28 phones you must know that’s nothing but the truth. My reputation in retrospect speaks for itself.”
According to the controversial businessman: “As soccer supporters, journalists must also all remember I’m doing something no Zimbabwean has ever done since independence so the least I expect is appreciation.”
“To cut a long story short this officially marks the end of my sponsorship for the Warriors for 2016. It takes a lot of love to spend $600,000 on people you don’t know or are even related to so you will all appreciate my reasons for reacting this way in the circumstances.”
Notwithstanding his obvious anger, Chivayo says that he will honour his pledge to pay the national team a $250,000 bonus if they qualify for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations finals and he has also pledged to ensure that Pasuwa gets paid his salary for the coming year.
ZIFA spokesperson Xolisani Gwesela reacted to the row saying Chivayo’s decision to suspend his sponsorship was regrettable.
“The Zimbabwe Football Association would like to salute the millions of Zimbabweans who have rallied behind the new football dispensation,” said Gwesela.
“The new executive committee came into office on December 5, 2015 against a backdrop of myriad challenges. It only takes a collective approach to navigate around them.
“Despite these challenges the association is proud to note that its two flagship teams have been performing well as Mighty Warriors triumphed over Tanzania as well as the Warriors’ emphatic victory over Swaziland.
“The association remains indebted to our sponsor Wicknell Chivayo for the benevolence he has availed to the association in this difficult period. We will continue engaging our valued sponsor for the beauty of our game.
“The association would like to appeal for restraint and support from all stakeholders to allow the new football leadership to steer the ship to warm waters.
“Grandstanding during this delicate phase will not help Zimbabwean football as scores of fans and corporate partners will find no comfort in an environment riddled with blame games and above all name calling.
“We appeal to our Fourth Estate counterparts to preserve the ointment which makes our football beautiful.
“The Zimbabwe Football Association has a policy of not discussing employer and employee matters in the public domain and whatever issues arise between the association and its employees will remain internal and confidential issues.
“The family of football should give Philip Chiyangwa and his team the chance to take Zimbabwean football forward. Our beautiful game cannot afford wallowing in stagnation, underdevelopment, match-fixing and general corruption.”
On its relations with the media ZIFA said: “ZIFA boasts an excellent relationship with members of the public and private media. It is paramount for the media to always report responsibly, fairly, correctly, objectively and ethically to avoid unintended adverse consequences. Any form of friction between media and ZIFA is highly regrettable.
“No purpose is served with needless antagonism between the media and ZIFA as this frustrates valued sponsors without whom the beautiful game would not thrive.”
Contact the writer of this story at moc.llabtoofdlrowedisni@rebab.kram
