Mayor mulls bankrolling Masvingo United

By Leopold Munhende

MASVINGO – Better fortunes might be in the reckoning for struggling premiership outfit, Masvingo united after the Masvingo City Mayor, Hubert Fidze disclosed that council might takeover the ownership and finance the community team in the coming year.

Speaking at a ZIFA awards presentation where he was the Guest of Honour, Fidze bemoaned the lack of a topflight club in the city. He however, conceded that the major challenge affecting teams in Masvingo was sponsorship which had to be dealt with.

“For a major town like Masvingo not to have a topflight side while other smaller towns have it is not a healthy situation at all. As council we will be looking at how best we can improve this grave situation this year.

“Next year we are looking at taking over the running and ownership of Masvingo United as Harare City Council did to Harare City FC and Mutare City Council to Mutare City FC. Though the decision has to be endorsed by the Masvingo community, it will be a welcome development,” said Fidze.

The Mayor also called on the corporate world to chip in so that Masvingo’s flagship side could qualify into the topflight.

ZIFA Eastern Region Administrator, Tedious Machawira applauded the move and called for the process to be speeded up before the situation became worse.

“As we speak Masvingo United has not affiliated for the coming season. I do not know whether or not they will be able to affiliate and if they do whether they will be able to finish the season.

“We commend what the Mayor has said and hope the process will not take too long as it is the same community which will benefit in the end. I doubt that anyone will be against such a noble idea,” said Machawira. Masvingo Mirror