HARARE - Joey Antipas has issued a stark warning to Chicken Inn’s rivals and said his side are intent on defending their Castle Lager Premiership title as the 2016 season gets into full swing this afternoon.The reigning league champions have the honour of opening the new season with a home match against last year’s runners-up Dynamos at Barbourfields Stadium this afternoon.

The Gamecocks, who were crowned Zimbabwean champions for the first time at the end of last season, are hoping to make a positive start and probably set the tone for the rest of their campaign.

“The season starts now, and we are ready. It’s difficult to say where we are right now. We are in a process,” Antipas told the Daily News yesterday.

“I feel confident and motivated, thinking about where we can improve. I still have the same faith in the players that we can retain our title.

“It’s always good to win the opening game of the season. This is one game that can give us a morale boost.”

The Zimbabwean champions, who were knocked out in the first round of the African Champions League by Mamelodi Sundowns, retained the bulk of their stars who did duty for them last season.

Chicken Inn have added forward Moses Demera from Flame Lilly and midfielder Physiwell Madhazi, who was with relegated Dongo Sawmills, to their 2016 squad.

Antipas says while his side seem to have an upper hand over most of the Premier League teams following their participation in the Champions League, they would not underestimate Dynamos this afternoon.

“We started ahead of most of the teams in terms of preparations and we are maybe slightly at an advantage. But we are aware of the task that lies ahead against Dynamos,” Antipas said. 

“You can only underrate a team like Dynamos at your own peril. It is going to be a difficult game for us, we need to be very cautious. We really want the three points but at the same time we need to be careful.”

The last time the two teams met at Barbourfields, Dynamos prevailed 1-0 with striker Roderick Mutuma getting the solitary goal.

For the Glamour Boys, today’s match will provide their new Portuguese coach Paulo Jorge Silva a real test in local football.

Silva, who replaced Tonderai Ndiraya, was tasked to regain the title they lost to Chicken Inn in the 2015 season.

DeMbare, who also signed a number of new players, have been preparing for the new season and even took their preparations to Malawi — a clear sign of their intentions to regain the title.

After losing midfielder and playmaker Ronald Chitiyo and defender Blessing Moyo to Harare City, the Glamour Boys moved quickly to sign highly-rated midfielder Dominic Mukandi from bitter rivals CAPS United.

They have also signed midfielder Tichaona Chipunza and defender Jimmy Dzingai from Triangle, while winger Valentine Ndaba joins from Highlanders.

The record Zimbabwe champions have also added a number of youngsters from the juniors.

In other matches, FC Platinum, who are considered title contenders following a good run last season, will begin their quest with a home tie against Tsholotsho at Mandava Stadium this afternoon.

ZPC Kariba welcome Premiership returnees Boarder Strikers at Nyamhunga Stadium while Mutare City travel to Ngezi Platinum Stars in a battle of new comers.

Tomorrow will see CAPS United, who have been busy on the transfer market host Chapungu at the National Sports Stadium with Bulawayo giants Highlanders travelling to the Colliery for a date against Hwange.

HARARE - The Zimbabwe Under-21 ladies hockey team knew they would break their World Cup qualification jink when defender Stephanie Campbell scored in the semi-finals against Namibia last week.

Campbell’s goal helped Zimbabwe win the match 2-1 and seal their place in the final and with it a place to represent Africa at the World Cup in Chile later this year.  

Zimbabwe had last played the showpiece 11 years ago ironically in Chile.

The team went onto lose the final 10-0 to neighbours South Africa but that did not dampen their spirits as they knew they will be going to South America in November. 

For Campbell though, the goal in the semi-finals was a moment to savour, because in the round robin stages she had scored an own goal against Namibia in a 3-1 rout.

“I scored the goal (own goal) and it was a bit upsetting in the beginning, but it didn’t drop my head. The support of the team helped a lot,” the Zimbabwe captain tells the Daily News from her South Africa base.

However, scoring against the same opponents in the right goal ended that anguish.

“It was a very unreal feeling, because I don’t usually score goals. So (it) was quite a shock,” Campbell recalls.

“I did envision it because there was this gap and Aimee Nativel passed the ball to me so I thought let me just attempt a back stick into the D because one of the post players will maybe push it in.

“But I somehow managed to get it in the bottom right corner. It was the greatest feeling and the celebration from the team was so motivating.

“Especially the fact that it put us up in the score by the goal; it was truly an amazing moment.”

The centre back took up hockey seriously in Form One at Chisipiti School and quickly made an impact after she made it into the Zimbabwe Under-14 hockey team and from then onwards never looked back.

Upon completion of her Advanced Level two years ago, Campbell moved to South Africa’s Stellenbosch University where she is studying towards a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Investment.

“I felt very privileged to have been asked to lead the Zimbabwe team. And the team together had such heart which made it so amazing to lead,” she said.

“The fact that we qualified showed how we didn’t once give up and we fought to the end. It’s amazing to have been able to lead such a lovely group of girls.”

Campbell says qualifying for the World Cup was a draining experience especially after the heavy defeat to Namibia in the earlier stages. 

“Against Tanzania and Botswana was a lot easier than Namibia and South Africa (SA). The SA and Namibia games were very hard and we definitely had to push through the games,” she says.

“Losing to Namibia was a downer however, in the first half of the game they managed to score three goals one being a deflection from me.

“We took a while to settle, but as we approached the second half it was a totally different game. We scored a goal and managed to keep it in our D most of the game. We played very well and kept our heads up.

“So the loss we weren’t upset with because we really did pick up our game in the second half and we knew if we played them again we could definitely do it considering how we held them.”

The team’s road to qualifying for Chile was also littered with hurdles. 

“I know a few girls couldn’t afford the tour at all, so financially it was hard to get girls there,” she says.

“However, we did do all the fundraising we could and there were a few sponsors who helped out which meant a lot to us.

“So looking forward the government could help a lot. The finances are the main concern as well as the kit.

“The Arundel turf to practice on has also been very expensive and it has had to come out of the girls’ pockets so we can play there. And I think with the government’s help that could be a bit easier with coatings.”

HARARE - Selina Manuel announced her arrival on the national bodybuilding scene with her victory at the Ms Novice contest in the women fitness category last weekend in Harare.

The Bulawayo athlete shook off serious competition from Harare’s Shake Your Sassy Gym’s Nicole da Francesca, who won silver, while Yeukai Kangadze from Mbare’s Stoddart Gym took bronze.

In the audience was Manuel’s mother Magdalene, who had travelled all the way from Bulawayo to be by her 17-year-old daughter’s side during her first national contest.

“It was awesome, we so happy. We were nervous because it’s her first time so it was a challenge but we happy that she won and we didn’t come all this way from Bulawayo for nothing; we have a victory,” Magdalene said.

“We do give her lots of support. We have been with her 24-7; taking her to the gym and making sure she eats the right food, sticking to her diet because it’s not easy.”

Magdalene said together with her husband they have made a number of sacrifices to supports their daughter’s bodybuilding career.

“It’s not easy between your busy work schedule trying to take her to the gym on time, it hasn’t been really easy but she has been training very hard,” she said.

“We wouldn’t be looking at going further because she’s still young and even when Simon (Gama) her trainer approached us about her taking part in the novice contest, it took us like two months to come up with a decision to sat let her do it.

“This is because we were concerned about her body, her being so young she’s still growing up and only stops growing at 21.”

The proud mother, however, reiterated that they would leave Manuel to make her own decision whether to take up bodybuilding full-time or take a different route.

“If she wants to pursue a career in bodybuilding we are there to support her, whichever way because she’s a sportsperson; she plays hockey and she swims so we just want to be there for her whichever way she wants it,” she said.

Magdalene encouraged other young girls to take up the sport as it helps to instil discipline and opens opportunities.

“Bodybuilding is disciplined and it also gives you confidence to all those girls that might be shy and you can achieve what you want to be in life,” she said.

“Some people are sent on scholarships through bodybuilding and with the times we are leaving now it’s very difficult to get kids at universities and if bodybuilding can do that for your kid why not grab this opportunity.”

Manuel, who trains at the Bodyworks Gym in Bulawayo, is grateful to the support she is getting from her parents.

“It was really intense and an eye opening experience, I enjoyed the competition. I’m hoping to take part in the Mr and Ms Zim in October,” she said.

“I want to be a personal fitness trainer. I’m still at school; I’m really athletic so I depend a lot on my sports so I’m hoping to do something in coaching and be a personal trainer when I finish school.

“I decided I want to do something different when I started going to gym, Gama actually encouraged me to take part in this competition.

“My dad at first was against it but then he was fine with it afterwards and now he’s in full support of it, I’m glad my mom was here with me, I hope to continue winning in future.”

BULAWAYO - Defending champions Chicken Inn began their 2016 Castle Lager Premiership season in style when they mercilessly thrashed 10-man Dynamos 3-0 on Saturday.

Before the match, Gamecocks coach Joey Antipas had warned the rest of the top flights clubs that his side would do their best to hang onto the title they won last season.

Chicken Inn chose yesterday’s opening match against the record Zimbabwe champions to make their intentions clear that it would not be easy to dispose their crown.

Former Highlanders and Bantu Rover forward Obadiah Tarumbwa scored a second half brace while midfielder Tafadzwa Kutinyu added the third as the Glamour Boys’ defence was shredded to pieces.

DeMbare had done well to contain the Gamecocks but new Portuguese coach Paulo Jorge Silva’s plans were thrown out the window when forward Richard Kawondera was needless shown a second yellow card.

The former Triangle forward had received his first booking from referee Thomas Masa in the first half for a foul on home side defender Moses Jackson.

With an hour gone, Kawondera kicked the ball in the nets way after Masa had blown his whistle for a foul on Gamecocks keeper Elvis Chipezeze.

After the red card, Dynamos lost their shape as they could not cope with the Gamecocks attacks.

A minute after the sending off, the Gamecocks took the lead when Edmore Chirambadare sent in a cross into the box which Tarumbwa struck first time.

The ball took a wicked deflection of defender Ocean Mushure to wrong foot DeMbare keeper Tatenda Mkuruva. 

A minute later, Mkuruva failed to deal with a low cross Mitchell Katsvairo and the ricochet fell to Chirambadare, whose shot was blocked by Elisha Muroiwa.

Unluckily for Dynamos, the rebound fell to an unmarked Turumbwa who simply side footed home for his brace.

Silva responded by separately pulling out midfielders Stephan Alimenda and Walter Mukanga bringing on Tichaona Chipunza and Dominic Mukandi.

The duo could not change much as Chicken Inn were enjoying the numerical advantage and it was no surprise when Kutinyu increased the lead after 74 minutes.

Full back Passmore Bernard sent in a cross from the right and Kutinyu, who was unmarked inside the box, produced a shot on the volley which beat Mkuruva.

After the match, Antipas was pleased with the way his side had applied themselves.

“It’s good we didn’t concede, I have to give my boys a good credit for good work,” he said.

“The first half we played a cautious game approach and it didn’t work for us. We then came back with a different game plan to press them high and it really paid.”

Silva was disappointed his side failed to utilise their first half advantage when they were in control of the game.

“The match has two parts in the first half we became the boss of the game, my boys gave everything we got some god opportunities,” Silva said.

“In the second half the team started well but one of my players was sacked and I remained with ten and you know Chicken Inn is a good team.”

BULAWAYO - The Young Warriors were on Sunday left with an uphill task after losing to visiting Botswana in the first leg of their 2017 African Under-20 Championships qualifier.

The Zimbabwe young stars will have to up their game when they travel to Lobatse, Botswana for the second leg on April 22.

Zimbabwe started the match on the front foot as they threatened to overrun the visitors with a brilliant passing game.

The Young Warriors were virtually camped in the Botswana camp in the first period but Jairos Tapera’s men were let down by poor finishing.

Botswana’s goalkeeper Tumisani Selolwane also pulled off some stunning saves to keep his team in the game and in the end they managed to keep a clean sheet and also scored a crucial away goal.

The Young Zebras scored the all important goal in the 68th minute when Goitseone Ligaopelo headed home a corner kick by Tiriyoane Maome.

Having already repelled the Young Warriors’ attacks for long periods, the Young Zebras fortified their defence protecting the precious away goal.

After the match, Tapera attributed the defeat to a lack of preparations as the side only grouped for camp at the start of last week.

“My boys did very well, we didn’t get any threat from the opposition but our strikers let us down. Scoring is an art but if you do not get time to train that’s exactly what you get,” he said.

“I am happy with the technical team who went out of their way to assemble a team in three days that played today.

“It’s very hard. The last time we assembled an under-20 team was some three years ago and now we were given only three days to select and train.”

Young Zebras coach Philmon Makwengwe admitted it was a tough game but was pleased with the result.

“It was a tough game, they were very quick; they didn’t give us time to settle. They didn’t give us the time to study them,” he said.

Makwengwe whose team has been in camp for two weeks said they were confident they will progress to the next stage.

“We have always been very ambitious, gone are the days when we used to respect countries by virtue of their past record, so we are confident that we are going to win,” he said.

TRIANGLE - Courage Denias’ solitary strike was all Triangle needed to edge a fighting Harare City in an exciting Castle Lager Premiership contest at Gibbo Stadium on Sunday.

The Sugar-Sugar Boys’ hard-fought victory was a perfect tonic to a disastrous end to the 2015 season and injected confidence in its legion of fans after losing their coach and key players in the offseason.

New coach David Mandigora may be on course to re-erecting the torn-down reputation of Gibbo as a fortress in the Lowveld.

The visitors will, however, feel hard done after a Raphael Manuvire 35th minute strike was disallowed for offside.

Edwin Madhananga, Ronald Chitiyo and Manuvire had worked their magic down the left with Manuvire slotting home.

Assistant match official Anthony Siyavhunda, however, flagged the goal for offside.

Triangle could have gone ahead as early as the 18th minute through a Lameck Nhamo spectacular free-kick after Malvin Gaki was hauled down by Arnold Chivheya.

The Sunshine Boys’ shot stopper Maxwell Nyamupanedengu was equal to task as he saved the set-piece.

Three minutes later Triangle also had another brilliant chance after Denias made a fine run on the left flank leaving Munyaradzi Diro Nyenye for dead with his blistering pace only to over-hit the ball for a goal kick.

The teams went to the breather tied nil all after a pulsating contest.

An on-fire Denias was unlucky not to have scored as early as the 51st minute when his header was saved brilliantly by Nyamupanedengu after connecting with a Brian Juwayeyi cross.

Five minutes later Harare City coach Taurai Mangwiro was then sent for an early shower for verbally abusing a match official.

There was, however, no denying Denias in the 65th minute when he turned and fired inside a congested 18-yard box.

Triangle then hung on to deny the visitors who threw everything at them in search of an equaliser.

MUTARE - Ngezi Platinum Stars emerged victorious in the battle of the Castle Lager Premiership new boys after thumping fellow debutants Mutare City Rovers 3-0 in a one-sided on Sunday.

The platinum miners had the match pretty much wrapped up inside the opening quarter of an hour after racing into a 2-0 lead.

Innocent Sokisi slotted home a penalty in the 13th minute and Terence Dzukamanja tapped in the second two minutes later.

Washington Pakamisa rounded off the scoring seven minutes before the end to give Clifton Kadurira’s men all three points.

After the match, Kadurira said: “We started very well in the first ten minutes and we are pleased with the win. We managed to control the entire game… our focus is to avoid relegation.”

The platinum miners completely outplayed the municipal side which was woeful in all areas all afternoon and hardly offered any resistance.

Although both teams were playing their debut match in the top flight, the gulf in class was very evident as the Rovers players looked out of depth.

Ngezi threatened from the onset and it was no surprise when the home side’s captain Mike Nyamukasa desperately hacked down a goal-bound Sokisi inside the box, who dusted himself to beat Phillip Nhete from the penalty spot.

The visitors were to double their lead two minutes later when Dzukamanja had the easiest tasks of taping in a James Nguluve low cross with a stretched Magusha defence in sixes and sevens.

Derby Duri and Kudakwashe Gurure had good chances to reduce the deficit for Magusha but they all fluffed their lines.

Ngezi goalkeeper Tinashe Matore also produced a good save to save a powerful shot from Sam Musimbu.

In the second period, Rovers felt hard done by the referee Tinashe Marange, who ignored their penalty appeals after Davison Tavari apparently blocked with his hand a Stephen Sibanda cross in the 60th minute.

After that, the home side continued with their woeful display as they failed to apply pressure on Matore’s goal.

With the match heading towards the end, Pakamisa extended Ngezi’s lead when he finished brilliantly to beat Nhete after a beautiful passing display by the visitors.

HARARE - Veteran Zimbabwe Cricket umpire Ian Robinson passed away yesterday after succumbing to lung cancer in Harare.

He was 69.

Robinson, who began his umpiring career in the local first class in 1978, officiated in 28 Test matches, 90 One Day Internationals and three World Cup tournaments (1992, 1996 and 1999).

He was a Zimbabwe Cricket Union (now ZC) board member for 14 years and an employee for nine. Robinson’s international debut came in Zimbabwe’s inaugural Test against India at Harare Sports Club in 1982.

He also played cricket for Hatfield Sports Club as a wicketkeeper-batsman.

Former ZC board member and friend Nick Chouhan described Robinson’s as a fine gentleman.

“Ian Robinson was a fine gentleman and well respected cricketer, both as a player and a cricket administrator,” Chouhan told the Daily News yesterday.

“I had a pleasure of playing against him and also working with him in my years on both the Mashonaland and Zimbabwean Cricket boards.

“He will be remembered all over the world as an International umpire who represented at the highest levels. He will be sorely missed.”

In September, 2004, Robinson was sacked by the then ZCU and was completely removed from the panel of umpiring, a move he challenged through courts.

“During the retrenchment talks they spoke about retaining my expertise as an umpire, retaining me on a consultancy basis to do some training and development of umpires, and umpiring local cricket. I was reassured I would be reappointed as an umpire, but that hasn't happened. It would be very sad if I was to have nothing to do with cricket in the future, because it has been a major part of my life,” Robinson said back then.

Burial arrangements will be announced in due course.

HARARE - CAPS United coach Lloyd Chitembwe believes their comfortable 3-0 victory over Chapungu in their opening match of 2016 Castle Premiership season yesterday is a clear indication of his team’s intentions to achieve great things.

Chitembwe watched as an own goal from Chapungu goalkeeper Roy Mazingi and a goal apiece from Tafadzwa Rusike and Moses Muchenje ensured a flying start for the Green Machine.

“It could have been better but we are happy with the result,” Chitembwe said after the game. 

“This result is just reminding us of the things we are likely to achieve if we continue working hard and giving as much effort as we can

“I am sure one cannot doubt the quality we have in the team. We just need to be reminded if we are to grind results week in week out, we have to work very hard. This is our first game of the season and if we can maintain the same levels then we will definitely go far.

“This is probably a good start for us and we want to keep the momentum going forward. Of course Chapungu made it difficult for us but at the end of the day were very decisive in crucial moments of the game.”

Chapungu coach John Nyikadzino said: “We lost to a better side. CAPS United played better than us in terms of utilising the chances that came their way. We dominated play in the first 20 minutes creating quite a number of chances but we failed to utilise them.

“CAPS United utilised their chances and punish us. It’s the first game of the season and we are looking forward to the next game and we want to play better than what we did today (yesterday).”

Chapungu had started the match as the better side after they completely dominated Makepekepe but the match turned on its head when the home side scored twice inside three minutes.

Joel Ngodzo’s shot from the edge of the box cannoned off the upright and cruelly bounced off the head of Mazingi, who had dived to his left in an attempt to save the shot.

Rusike made it 2-0 two minutes later when he arrived at the far post to side foot a wonderful cross from the right delivered by Dominic Chungwa.

The second half was a different story with both teams struggling for consistency.

However, Muchenje put the game beyond Chapungu when he headed home a Ronald Pfumbidzayi cross from the left side.

CAPS United: Jorum Muchambo, Hardlife Zvirekwi, Ronald Pfumbidzayi, Justice Jangano, Steven Makatuka, Kudzai Nyamupfukudza, Moses Muchenje, Phineas Bhamusi, Tafadzwa Rusike (Method Mwanjali 83rd min), Joel Ngodzo, Dominic Chungwa

Chapungu: Roy Mazingi, Jameson Mukobwe, Hillary Mugoniwa, Blessing Zabula, Blessed Mbavarira, Gift Phiri, Ngonidzashe Murisa, Cleopas Kapupurika (Maxwell Mavuto 45th min), Nhlanhla Ncube, Allen Tavarwisa, Rodwell Mhlanga (Agrippa Peperere 45th min).

HARARE - Zimbabwe's top mountain bikers held their own during the Africa Continental Championships held in Lesotho at the Afriski Resort.

The week of racing took place from March 29 to April 3, with the country’s mountain bikers shrugging off stiff competition to leave a mark at the Confederation of African Cycling and Federation of Cycling Lesotho event.

In the first day’s racing, the team fought a tactical race in the Team Relay event and won a bronze medal in spite of difficult odds.

In the Under-19 Junior men category, Jake Greenway scooped 15th place in a field of 23 strong contenders.

In the Under-23 women’s elite, rider Skye Davidson crashed three times but still fought strong to finish in fifth place, while compatriot Stacey Hyslop rode into a competitive sixth place.

Under-23 rider Kombo Bere endured a hugely competitive race but did well to finish ninth.

“The results are hugely encouraging for Zimbabwe mountain biking as the technical XCO track was set at 3 200m altitude which added to the difficulty of the events with oxygen in high demand and short supply,” said coach Linda Davidson.

“Davidson, Hyslop and Bere have just moved up from the junior category and to place in the top 10 of Africa’s best in their first 6 months is encouraging indeed and shows the long term development strategy employed by Cycling Zimbabwe is starting to bear fruit,” she added.

HARARE - At least 141 entries have been confirmed for this year’s Sunshine Tour-sanctioned Golden Pilsener Zimbabwe Open golf tournament to be held at Royal Harare between from  April 14 to 17.

Dean Burmester will be defending the title he won last year.

Burmester finished the tournament on 16-under 272, one stroke ahead of Brazilian Adilson da Silva, who was on 15-under.

Since winning Zimbabwe’s premier golf tournament, Burmester went on a wonderful run in the Sunshine Tour circuit.

The Zimbabwe-born golfer, who now represents South Africa, won the Lombard Insurance Classic, Sun Windmill Challenge and the Vodacom Origins — Koro Creek to cap off an unforgettable year for the Bloemfontein-based pro.

He also won the Chase to the Investec Cup to pocket a R4 million bonus after finishing with the highest number of points.

Burmester was also the biggest winner at the end of year Sunshine Tour awards gala where he landed all the top gongs.

He took the Gary Player Trophy for the best stroke average of the 2015 season (69.34 over 59 rounds of tournament golf), the Media’s Player of the Year as voted by members of South Africa’s golf journalists, the Players’ Player of the Year which is an accolade from his fellow professionals, and the Commissioner’s Award.

Two-time Zimbabwe Open champion Jbe Kruger will be hoping to win the tournament for the third time as he is among the strong field.

On the local front, Mark Williams, who has become the leading Zimbabwean on the Sunshine Tour circuit, is also among the entrants for this year’s competition.

Williams currently sits in 14th place on the Sunshine Tour order of merit after raking in close to R600 000 in the six tournaments he has played.

The other leading local pros in the 2016 edition field include Ryan Cairns, TC Charamba, Brian Gondo, Greg Bentley, Robson Saurombe and Mohammad Mandhu.

There is also a place for former leading local amateur Scott Vincent, who turned pro last year.

HARARE - All is not well in the Mighty Warriors camp ahead of their 2016 Africa Women Cup of Nations final qualifying round tie against Zambia tomorrow amid reports that players have not yet been paid their bonuses.

Sources within the Mighty Warriors camp revealed to the Daily News that morale is low in the squad as players are still owed money stretching back to last year’s Cameroon match when the team qualified for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games.

Despite the association’s claims that they have settled the Mighty Warriors’ outstanding dues, the Daily News has learnt the team only received $50 each after knocking out Tanzania out of the qualifiers last month.

Prior to their second-leg against Tanzania, the Mighty Warriors boycotted training in protest over their outstanding allowances.

The players are currently camping at the Zifa Village where they were also forced to train instead of the match venue at Rufaro Stadium as the association is failing to secure transport.

Contacted for comment Zifa chief executive Jonathan Mashingaidze refused to answer questions posed to him, saying he was getting into a meeting.

Efforts to contact him later proved fruitless as his mobile went unanswered. 

Mighty Warriors coach Shadreck Mlauzi refused to comment on the current situation in the camp and instead chose to focus on their match against Shepolopolo tomorrow at Rufaro.

“I am not the right person to talk about that (team allowances), maybe if you can get hold of my bosses they will give you a clearer picture,” Mlauzi said.

On their pending match against Zambia tomorrow, Mlauzi said they were looking at securing a comfortable lead before Sunday’s return leg in Lusaka.

“We are looking forward to have a positive result,” said Mlauzi. “It would be good if we can manage a comfortable victory so that by the time we travel to Zambia the job will be half done. We should not concede at home.”

Mlauzi added: “They are a good side. Last time they knocked us out and I think they will be buoyed by that. But I think since then we have improved a lot and we will give everything to ensure we qualify.”

HARARE - Businessman Wicknell Chivayo is ending his Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) sponsorship deal, for the time being, after it emerged Warriors coach Kalisto Pasuwa has not been paid in two months.

The youthful Harare entrepreneur, who has amassed his wealth in the transport and energy sectors and often boasts on social media that he runs “multimillion-dollar” businesses, was apparently incensed that his good reputation was now being soiled.

In an 853-worded Facebook rant, Chivayo attacked the reporter, who wrote the article, and labelled Pasuwa for being “ungrateful” after leaking details of his salary situation to the press.

“With the greatest respect this foolish and overzealous reporter needs psychiatric attention. 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,” Chivayo wrote.

“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.

“The basis of this article was to give an impression that I have failed to pay him or I have given Zifa the money and they have not paid him.”

Last December, Chivayo and Zifa president Philip Chiyangwa signed an agreement which was supposed to see the youthful businessman pour $1 million into the association over a period of three years.

However, he claims Zifa has already exhausted close to           $600 000 from the grant in the last three 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,” he wrote.

“Simple calculations show almost $600 000 used in 3 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.”

Turning his venom towards Pasuwa, the generous Chivayo felt let down by the former Dynamos coach.

“Always remember I’m under no obligation whatsoever to support soccer. Pasuwa came to my office last week and I assured him I was unaware he wasn’t being paid but I insisted and showed him evidence of various payments I made on behalf of Zifa not knowing the issue of his salary had not been taken care of,” he wrote.

“I gave him $3 000 for lunch and told him I would open an escrow account with BancABC this week where I would subsequently deposit his salary for one year and he would earn monthly as stipulated by his contract.

Chivayo added: “None of the above is correct and it must further be noted that Pasuwa is not the only headache Zifa has so for him to go to the press and start telling them about his daughter and his rental issues in Greendale before telling me or waiting for me to resolve the issue is gross disrespect.

“Such behaviour displays an ungrateful person and is totally unacceptable in my world. He drives a brand new Toyota that I bought, a car that I see being driven only by executives.

“I can afford to pay him $7 000 everyday for the next 10 years and still not feel it. 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.”

Chivayo said he was not seeking publicity when he decided to bankroll the Warriors and will now take a back seat from financing the team.

“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,” he wrote.

“I can’t tolerate ungrateful people and I will never take this type of rubbish in my life. It’s a different thing if I wasn’t paying their bills and giving them money immediately upon request.”

Chivayo, however, insisted he will honour his pledge of paying the team a $250 000 bonus if they qualify for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Gabon.

The Warriors currently sit top of Group L with eight points while Swaziland and Guinea are on five points. Malawi anchor the pool with only two points.

Zimbabwe only need to get four points from their remaining two matches against Malawi and Guinea to qualify for Gabon. 

HARARE - Chimurenga music legend Thomas Mapfumo says he will not perform in Zimbabwe anytime soon due to the worsening political situation.

Mapfumo (70), who has not set foot in Zimbabwe for over a decade, told the Daily News yesterday from his base in the United States of America that returning to his homeland under the current circumstances would be suicidal.

“I really don’t know when I will return home. I would love to go back and play music in Zimbabwe but Zimbabwe’s situation is very tricky; politically we are not stable. We have a lot of problems in our country,” said the music legend.

The Nyoka Musango singer added that there were influential people in Zimbabwe who feel threatened by the message in his music.

“Yes we have friends (in Zimbabwe) but don’t forget we also have enemies; people who don’t wanna actually hear what we say or what we are singing about.

“We are always singing about freedom. That is where we stand. We stand with the poor people. We don’t belong to any political party. We are just a band, a group of musicians and we enjoy our music. But really we know very well that there are some people out there who don’t like us for what we do,” he said.

Mapfumo, who conceded that he was frustrated by his continued inability to perform for his Zimbabwean music fans, said those opposed to the “message of freedom in his music” will eventually lose the battle.

“As you know good will always overcome evil. You can never go wrong about it; good will always overcome evil. If you are doing evil things you will never succeed (because) love will always conquer. In anything we do we should show love. Love is the best remedy,” said music legend.

Mapfumo said his decade-plus absence from Zimbabwe will not frustrate him from releasing a follow-up to his 50th studio album “Danger Zone” that he dropped last year.

“We are in the studio working on a new CD. We are almost finished. We have four more songs to record to complete the CD. It’s gonna be a very exciting CD and we are looking forward to it. We want it to be better than Danger Zone,” he said.

The music star, who recently performed in South Africa and Mozambique, will headline a pre-Independence Day gig scheduled for Leicester, United Kingdom on April 16.

Mapfumo will share the stage with labour activist and musician Raymond Majongwe, a self-confessed fan of the chimurenga music legend and solo guitarist Steve 'Dhongi' Makoni in the concert being promoted by Vee Jay Entertainment.

MUTASA - MDC women’s assembly leader Lynette Karenyi is distressed by the long silence of her garrulous counterpart, Zanu PF women’s league honcho First Lady Grace Mugabe.

Karenyi said Grace was doing a good job preparing the electoral ground for her party’s sweeping victory.

Addressing a belated International Women’s Day commemoration at Watsomba Business Centre on Saturday, Karenyi said the chatty first lady has been so effective in destabilising the governing party that she always looked forward to her hugely divisive rallies.

“Let her go around the country verbally abusing her fellow senior party officials. She is working our ground. Each time I open the newspaper and don’t read about her ranting, I’m distressed,” Karenyi said.

She also took a dig at former Vice President Joice Mujuru, questioning her sincerity in joining the existing opposition ranks.

“We don’t hate Joice but we are saying how many years have you been in cabinet with this person? How sincere are you to now confess that (Morgan) Tsvangirai was robbed of an electoral victory? Why did you not act then?” Karenyi asked rhetorically.

“A serpent’s offspring is a serpent and it will never be a calf,” Karenyi said as she tore into Mujuru.

She however, said her party should continue to build for an electoral victory by mobilising new voters and ensuring that they register for the watershed 2018 plebiscite.

HARARE - Kuwadzana East MDC MP Nelson Chamisa has savaged President Robert Mugabe for failing to deliver on his election promises.

Addressing a bumper rally in Kuwadzana on Sunday, Chamisa said the much-touted economic blueprint, the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (ZimAsset), has failed to deliver and remains pie in the sky.

“Zanu PF promised two million jobs and failed to deliver on their promise, they only created two jobs for the two vice presidents,” Chamisa said to much applause.

He also warned that the government threat to seize foreign firms sounds a death knell to the stuttering economy.

This comes after Indigenisation minister Patrick Zhuwao said foreign firms resisting the indigenisation programme will no longer be required to pay non-compliance empowerment levies as earlier stated and will instead be shut down if they failed to comply by April 1.

This has again raised questions of policy flip-flops in implementing the contentious law.

“There is conflict of two Patricks (Zhuwao and Chinamasa), the two Patricks have parted ways on how to resolve the current economic problems. Both of them do not have an idea on how to solve this situation.

“The indigenisation talk will be the final nail to the struggling economy.

“For Zhuwao, he is threatening to close companies that are already closed."

Chamisa said Zanu PF is using too much energy in solving the festering factional fights.

“The tragedy is that we have dealers in government instead of leaders. Leaders must put the people first. However, the Zanu PF government is concentrating on their personal gains.

“Zanu PF is now history. In 2008, vaiti bhora musango, 2013 bhora mugedhi, but for now they don’t have the ball, gates and also the team, they have collapsed totally.

“Zanu PF has discarded the principles of the liberation struggle. However, the splitting of Zanu PF is helping the people of Zimbabwe.”

He called for a united front against Zanu PF.

“We need Welshman Ncube (MDC leader), Tendai Biti (People’s Democratic Party president) and others to join hands with . . . Tsvangirai so that we can cross the overflowing river of dictatorship,” he said.

“We must decrease our personal egos and increase our desire to help the suffering Zimbabweans.”

HARARE - A Zanu PF MP has scoffed at war veterans aligned to embattled Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa who are openly contradicting President Robert Mugabe, saying they were “equal partners” in Zanu PF.

This comes after Mugabe made it clear that the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) was subordinate to Zanu PF, and not the other way round.

The spokesperson of the Mnangagwa-aligned ZNLWVA formation that is led by former War Veterans minister Christopher Mutsvangwa, Douglas Mahiya, said the ZNLWVA was not

just an affiliate organisation of Zanu PF as the nonagenarian claimed.

Highfield West Zanu PF MP Psychology Maziwisa said the level of ignorance that is being displayed by the war veterans about the basic operations of the party both in terms of common sense and of the constitution of the party demonstrates quite amply the dangers of going to war and not going to school.

“...Mugabe was absolutely right when he said associations cannot run Zanu PF. The ruling party is administered in terms of the provisions of its constitution. That is the beginning and end of it as far as some of us are concerned.”

Mahiya’s sentiments follow Mugabe’s pronouncement on Saturday that former liberation struggle fighters needed to take a back seat in Zanu PF politics and allow party leaders to steer the wobbling ship.

“Hatitongwe neassociation … never ever, hatife takabvuma izvozvo … tine gwara reparty … musangano ndiwo unotungamirira vose, maassociations ose. Ndiwo unopa gwara kwatiri tose, watsauka watsauka warasika, wava chipfukuto, gamatox … tinoda gwara, gwara nekuti tisina gwara hapana kwatinoenda tinorasika (We are not led by affiliate associations, we will never agree to that. We have party guidelines. The party leads all associations, it is the one that provides guidelines to all of us and if you falter, you are now a weevil, gamatox. We need guidelines, without which, we are lost),” Mugabe said.

Said Maziwisa: “...30 000 war vets versus 12 million patriots...? They must refuse to be used or soon we will clash with them and it’s not going to be a pleasant sight at all. If they think that these are just empty words, I dare them to utter just one more word of disrespect towards the president and see if all hell will not break loose.”

HARARE - Allies of embattled Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa suffered another huge blow after President Robert Mugabe directed the Midlands Zanu PF provincial executive to haul “troublesome” elements in the province to the party’s National Disciplinary Committee (NDC).

There had been complaints that since many of Mnangagwa’s top lieutenants were booted out of the party last month, the political climate in the province had become very tense, amid reports of heightened intimidation targeted at those perceived to be against the Midlands godfather’s presidential ambitions.

The Midlands godfather’s  key supporters, who include suspended deputy provincial chairperson Daniel Mackenzie-Ncube, spokesperson  Cornelius Mupereri,  Gokwe-Kana MP, Owen Muda Ncube, and Victor Matemadanda, among others, were reportedly  demanding protection fees from illegal  gold panners.

The money, according to Zanu PF officials, would then be used against Mnangagwa’s opponents in  terror campaigns  by a group going by the moniker Al Shabab.

Matangaidze told the Daily News that Mugabe, soon after his arrival from Japan last weekend, had directed his province to compile a report and forward it to the NDC, chaired by Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko.

“The miners have suffered in silence over the years,” Matangaidze said.

“They were being forced to pay protection fees to the so-called Al Shabab.

“That protection fee is code-named ‘mhuu’ and is up to 30 percent of the gold that the miner would have extracted. This is criminal, and the Kwekwe cabal has been running with this for years. We are happy that the party is now bringing this to a stop. This explains why the cabal panicked over my appointment. We will leave no stone unturned in bringing normalcy to the province.”

Efforts to get comment from Mackenzie-Ncube were fruitless as he said he was in a meeting.

The development comes ahead of a planned visit by Zanu PF national political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere to Midlands this week in a move meant to douse the factional flames raging in the politically volatile province.

The province has seen the suspension of dozens of Mnangagwa allies, including Zanu PF deputy secretary for administration July Moyo. 

The VP’s regional supporters are vowing that they will not go down without a spirited fight, with parallel structures being set up at all levels and officially splitting the party into two.

HARARE - President Robert Mugabe’s plan to strictly police Internet access, censoring web users and blocking access to sites deemed sensitive Chinese-style, has been slammed by the opposition and analysts as a fascist move that risks dragging the country back into the Stone Age era.

This comes after Mugabe on Saturday said Zimbabwe needed to implement measures to control social media to minimise rampant abuse of the platforms.

“...there’s a lot of bad stuff on the Internet,” Mugabe said just after landing at the Harare International Airport from Japan.

“There’s a lot of abuse that happens there. Some people use the Internet in bad ways. It’s everywhere. But the Chinese have put in place security measures and we will look at these so that we stop these abuses on the Internet.”

China has put new restrictions on social media use by its citizens, who already face State censorship and filtering when they post about controversial issues or criticise the government. The MDC has threatened to launch a court challenge should Mugabe proceed with his “fascist plan to muzzle the media.”

“Section 61 of the Constitution sets out our freedom of expression and freedom of the media. Every Zimbabwean has got a right to seek, receive and communicate ideas and other information,” MDC spokesperson Obert Gutu said.

“Mugabe has never been comfortable with a robust and fearless media that places politicians and all other public figures under strict scrutiny.

“This is the very reason why the Zanu PF regime maintains an iron-fisted control of the electronic media in Zimbabwe. Mugabe is very worried that social media is now able to expose those shenanigans that his regime would have routinely swept under the carpet and keep away from the attention of the majority of the people.

“Mugabe is yesterday’s man, he seems not to understand that even China, with all the massive financial and material resources at its disposal, is having a very tough time trying to clamp down on the use of social media such as Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Instagram.”

Tendai Biti’s People’s Democratic Party (PDP) said Mugabe was angry that he was being portrayed as a cartoon character in social media circles

“It is a laughable suggestion really,” PDP spokesperson Jacob Mafume said. “He is trying to stifle people or represses people, and freedom of the media.

“He is angry at the capacity of society to make him look like the cartoon character he is. He has built an artificial image, where he is portrayed as a revolutionary, and likened to biblical king.

“On social media, however, it’s a different thing. It’s where jokes about him circulate and where embarrassing videos about him circulate. It’s not just him; his wife as well is made fun of on social media”

Academic and political analyst Ibbo Mandaza said it would be hard for the Mugabe government to control social media.

“It is very difficult to control electronic media. It just becomes another futile exercise. Even in China where these restrictions are, they have found a way around them,” Mandaza said.

Afghanistan-based analyst Maxwell Saungweme said the restrictions were futile in a collapsing economy.

“We already have restrictions. Chinese economy is ticking and people may grapple with the restrictions. Zimbabwe’s economy is in tatters and such restrictions will only to more exodus of people.

“There are already too many push factors for Zimbabweans to go abroad and this will be the last stroke,” Saungweme said.

HARARE - The MDC’s planned “mother of all mass demonstrations” against President Robert Mugabe and Zanu PF’s failed stewardship of the country and its dying economy, which was initially scheduled to take place in Harare on Thursday this week, has been postponed to April 14.

Party spokesperson Obert Gutu confirmed to the Daily News yesterday that although preparations for this week’s march had been at an advanced stage, they had to postpone it as authorities were concerned that it coincided with Mugabe’s scheduled meeting with war veterans in the capital.

“All the logistics are in place and the good thing is that the Constitution affords us the right to demonstrate. It will be a very peaceful mass action and we have dubbed it the mother of all demonstrations.

“As you know, as MDC we don’t force anyone to participate in our activities, but all indications are that tens of thousands of patriotic and peace-loving Zimbabweans will turn up for the demonstration,” Gutu said.

He added that the demonstration was a follow-up to the key resolutions of the party’s last national congress that was held at the City Sports Centre in 2014, at which the MDC resolved that after efforts to bring opposition forces to work together, this would be followed up by mass actions to pressurise Mugabe and the government to implement needed political reforms.

The main opposition would also be demonstrating against a number of other issues, including Zanu PF’s failure to fulfill its promise to create 2,2 million new jobs as espoused in the ruling party’s “pie-in-the-sky” 2013 election manifesto, as well as demand answers following Mugabe’s recent claim that $15 billion had been stolen from the Chiadzwa diamond mining fields.

In addition, the party would demand the equittable and non-partisan distribution of food, in the face of four million poor Zimbabweans facing starvation.

“We have sought police clearance for our demonstration and so far we have not encountered any problems. The police said they will get back to us by April 10.

“If they do not clear us, we will go to court to assert our rights. There is no retreat nor surrender,” Gutu said, adding that it was the constitutional right of all Zimbabweans to demonstrate.

Since Zanu PF controversially retained power in the hotly-disputed 2013 national elections, the country has been on a downward spiral, with the economy bleeding hundreds of thousands of badly-needed jobs and social service delivery hitting an all-time low.

In addition, there have also been growing concerns that Zimbabwe has once again hit the depths of humanitarian and economic despair that were last experienced in 2008, when the country’s seemingly unending political crisis precipitated an economic meltdown of monumental proportions — which culminated in the death of the Zimbabwe dollar and mass emigrations out of the country.

In most urban areas, thousands of street vendors, many of them with university degrees, roam around desperately trying to sell an assortment of products, including cell phone recharge cards, vegetables, second-hand clothes, traditional herbs and skin lightening creams.

And instead of attending to the country’s worsening political and socio-economic crises, Zanu PF bigwigs are embroiled in their party’s mindless bloodletting, in which a faction loyal to embattled Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa is engaged in deadly factional and succession wars with a group opposed to him succeeding Mugabe.