Heads roll at DeMbare

By Godknows Matarutse

Struggling Castle Lager Premiership side Dynamos’ board chairperson Bernard Marriot Lusengo has wielded the axe on club president Kenni Mubaiwa in a bid to address the team’s problems.

Mubaiwa has been kicked upstairs to be part of the club’s board while former vice president Solomon Sanyamandwe will bounce back to replace the Harare businessman.

On paper it might look like this appointment is an advancement for Mubaiwa but this is clearly a demotion by promotion.

Lusengo has literally surrounded himself with “yes men” in the DeMbare board where he holds majority veto power over the rest of the members.

In his new role in the board, Mubaiwa will basically be a passenger while Lusengo directs the club’s operations.

Lusengo’s overbearing influence at the club was laid bare in 2016 when the executive sacked former assistant coach Murape Murape for comments he made in an interview.

However, a day later, Murape was reinstated after Lusengo and his board overruled the executive’s decision to sack the 2007 Soccer Star of the Year.

Lusengo’s phone was being answered by his wife yesterday when the Daily News sought a comment on the matter.

However, following a meeting last week, the DeMbare supremo circulated a notice alluding to the impending changes.

“After the board meeting held on April 19, 2018, it was resolved to restructure the Dynamos Football Club structures. A new team will be advised in the next few days,” reads the letter signed by Lusengo.

The Glamour Boys have had a terrible start to the 2018 season in which they have only amassed three points out of a possible 21.

This has left the fading Harare giants just one place off the bottom of the log and in recent weeks, the club’s supporters anger has been directed towards Mubaiwa and Lusengo.

Following the teams 0-1 defeat to Highlanders, police had to fire teargas to disperse rowdy fans as they bayed for the duo’s blood.

Lusengo has, however, decided to make Mubaiwa the scapegoat of DeMbare’s problems by kicking him upstairs in the hope that it might stop the team’s poor results.

The DeMbare executive had been only left with three officials comprising Mubaiwa, secretary-general Webster Marechera and treasurer Moses Chikwariro.

According to our sources, Lusengo was particularly incensed by the manner in which Mubaiwa and his colleagues handled the Christian Ntouba saga.

Ntouba, who was the Glamour Boys’ top goal scorer last season, refused to feature this season as he was owed over $16 000 in outstanding signing-on fees and salaries from last season.

In the end, the Cameroonian striker terminated his contract with the Glamour Boys and is now eying a move to current log leaders Ngezi Platinum Stars.

Mubaiwa and the club’s sponsors tried to convince Ntouba to stay but the striker stood his ground and has already engaged the Footballers’ Union of Zimbabwe in order to force DeMbare to sign his clearance.

Sanyamandwe and his new executive might also move in and make changes in the technical team where coach Lloyd Mutasa has taken charge of the disastrous start to the new season.

Fixtures:

Saturday: Mutare City Rovers v FC Platinum (Vengere), Black Rhinos v Bulawayo Chiefs (Rufaro), Herentals v Harare City (NSS), Nichrut v CAPS United (Ascot), Chicken Inn v Yadah (Luveve), Ngezi Platinum Stars v Highlanders (Baobab), Shabanie Mine v ZPC Kariba (Maglas)

Sunday: Dynamos v Bulawayo City (Rufaro), Triangle United v Chapungu (Gibbo) DailyNews