DeMbare sign Muzokomba

By Eddie Chikamhi and Munyaradzi Musiiwa

HARARE giants Dynamos have opted for experience after signing veteran striker Jacob Muzokomba, defender Marshall Machazane and Takunda Sadiki before the mid-season Premiership transfer window closes this Sunday.

The Glamour Boys confirmed they had agreed to one-year deals with the trio who joined them as free agents. The players have been training with the former champions for the past week and the technical team led by Lloyd Mutasa recommended their signatures.

DeMbare president Kenny Mubaiwa said they sought to add weight to their squad after they had promoted a number of their youth players into the first team. But with four days before the curtain comes down on the transfer window, Dynamos are still looking to secure former Young Warriors skipper Wisdom Mutasa to fill one of the remaining slots in their squad. Mubaiwa said the coaches have set their priorities and was happy with the development.

“We really mean business and this is a clear message to all other teams that we are coming and we are getting to that place where we belong and that is at the top. We want to win the title again and when you are in the second half of the season, you need experience. That’s why we have brought in Muzokomba, Machazane and Sadiki.

“We still have two more slots and we will see if we are able to fill them before the window closes. In fact we had expected some players from Zambia and Nigeria for trials, but now it’s late for that.

“We have had to do with what we have here. Probably if the coaches find someone exciting between now and Sunday and we agree terms, it’s an advantage to us,” said Mubaiwa.

The Harare giants are looking to conclude the signing of Wisdom Mutasa on loan after the former Young Warriors player indicated he wanted out at ZPC Kariba because of breach of contract.

Mutasa’s rights are held by Aces Youth Academy, who have been involved in negotiations with ZPC Kariba after they failed to avail his signing-on fees on time.

“They are making frantic efforts to keep the player and they have even sent part of the sign-on fees together with his salary for this month. But he had already made his decision, eventually they will clear him. Probably they just don’t want him to play for Dynamos on Saturday,” said a source.

Dynamos have been crying for a striker who can be dependable after a disappointing start to the season by their forwards who have been described as “too lightweight” for the giants.

Of late they had to rely on rookies King Nasama, Kudzanayi Nyakasaka and Musa Madhiri to hunt for goals with Roderick Mutuma probably the only experienced soldier in the attack. But Mubaiwa was thrilled by the curriculum vitae of Muzokomba who has seen action at a number of clubs that include Lancashire Steel, Highlanders, Mbabane Highlanders, Hardbody and recently Buffaloes.

The 29-year-old has been a longtime target for the Glamour Boys while Machazane (27), who won the league with Bosso as a teenager in 2006 is joining in from How Mine. Machazane, who is comfortable in central defence and at right back, also played for Mbabane Highlanders in Swaziland as well as Buffaloes and Whawha where he played under Lloyd Mutasa last year.

He is likely to fill the hole created in central defence by the departure of former captain Augustine Mbara. Sadiki, who is brother to TP Mazembe midfielder Ali Sadiki and former Warriors skipper Tapuwa Kapini, has been capped at national junior teams and had a brief stint at Highlanders under Kelvin Kaindu in 2012 before he moved to Botswana where he scored crucial goals for SC Satmos and BDF XI.

Dynamos are looking to reconstitute their squad after partying ways with over half a dozen players in the last month. The former champions had a major clear out recently shipping out Evans Gwekwerere, Richard Kawondera, Kelvin Bulaji, Farai Mupasiri, Walter Mukanga, Jimmy Dzingai while Mbara joined Highlands Park of South Africa.

They roped in young players who included Midlands State University student Tawanda Macheka, Cedric Maruta and Farai Admiral Matope. Probably their biggest signing was attacking midfielder Denver Mukamba who is returning from a four-year stint in South Africa and former Tsholotsho player Simbarashe Gorogodyo. The Herald