HARARE - Dynamos chairperson Kenny Mubaiwa has branded the Glamour Boys players “inconsiderate” after they extended their strike into a second day in protest over unpaid winning bonuses.
The industrial action has cost the club valuable preparation time ahead of Sunday’s crucial African Champions League first round, second leg clash away to Democratic Republic of Congo side AS Vita.
DeMbare and Vita played out a goalless draw at the National Sports Stadium last Saturday, leaving the second leg delicately poised.
"We made it clear to the players that we don't have money for the Champions League because the club is struggling financially, which is the same reason why we travelled to Botswana by road," Mubaiwa told the Daily News yesterday.
"We managed to run around and secured airfares and allowances for the DRC trip. We then asked them to fulfil the game against Vita and then settle their differences once we get back from DRC.
“This proposal seems to have fallen on deaf ears and we feel that the players are not being considerate."
Yesterday, Dynamos secretary general Webster Chikengeza had invited the players for a meeting at a local restaurant but the players turned down the invite.
In the end, Chikengezha tried to meet the players at their training ground at Zimphos but they refused to entertain him unless payment was done.
Speaking to the Daily News on condition of anonymity the players said that club is negotiating in bad faith and accused Mubaiwa of telling lies to the media.
"What is happening is that our bosses are rushing to the media to give a wrong picture about the whole situation," said one player.
"They are using the media to portray us as mercenaries yet they know the truth, and they also want the fans to hate us thinking that we are sabotaging the team. The truth of the matter is that some within the executive and the board don't want to give us money."
The player made sensational claims that there is an individual in the club executive who is trying to sabotage coach Calisto Pasuwa.
"They want us to underperform so that they find an excuse to relieve the coach of his duties. Pasuwa has been on the firing line for quite some time now but thank God the results have been vindicating his stay at the club," he said.
The players have vowed to continue with the strike until they have been paid their outstanding bonuses.
According to the player, the club owes them an average of $600 each for their winning bonuses for last season’s game against Black Mambas, which confirmed DeMbare as champions for a record third straight year.
The players are also owed winning bonuses for their African Champions League preliminary round victory over Mochudi Centre Chiefs last month.
Meanwhile, the club’s treasurer Webster Marechera, who was arrested on Monday for fraud, has been released.
Marechera was accused for fleecing close to $30 000 from gate takings from the club’s home matches from last season.
The DeMbare official was released before he could appear in court after the club withdrew all charges.