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Harare Bureau
DYNAMOS and Highlanders stepped into the light, in style last night, after the two giants sealed a game-changing multi-million dollar sponsorship deal with energy giants, Sakunda Holdings.

The country’s two biggest football clubs received a kiss of life, at a time when they have been struggling for funds, to bankroll their operations.

They have struggled to make the impact, which their millions of fans expect, as they staggered in the shadow cast by the better funded clubs like FC Platinum and Ngezi Platinum.

All that could change, after the two giants received a combined US$5.3 million, which will be paid in local currency, over the next three years.

Each of the clubs will get US$450 000, to be channeled towards salaries and allowances, as well as US$60 000, which will be reserved for signing-on fees, per each season, for three years.

They will also receive US$60 000, for administrative purposes, every season.

There will be a US$200 000 bonus, for winning the league title, with a further US$150 000 set aside for qualification, in the CAF Champions League.

Dynamos executive chairman, Isaiah Mupfurutsa, said his team will make sure Sakunda Holdings get their return on investment.

“The world’s most beautiful game is no longer a pastime as it has blossomed into one of the fastest growing industries the world over,’’ said Mupfurutsa.

“An industry that employs billions of people and contributes significantly to the Gross Domestic Product of national economies.

“So special is our relationship, with Sakunda Holdings, that we commit ourselves to safeguard it jealously.

“It is a business relationship, which came about when the Covid-19 pandemic had almost ravaged all sectors, of the economy.

“We salute Sakunda Holdings for choosing to do business with the flagship teams in Zimbabwe.

“We cannot wait to see Sakunda Holdings getting their investment repaid, through numerous opportunities for visibility, which our club will avail to Sakunda Holdings.

“We shall ensure that our huge fan base will consume the products, and services of Sakunda Holdings, during the subsistence of our marital bliss, which we pray to have renewal of vows made, by this special couple, after the three years we are committing tonight.’’

He said the club will tap onto their huge fan base, to give the sponsors the mileage, which they thoroughly deserve.

“Dynamos Football Club has what it takes to make Sakunda Holdings cherish our marriage as we have the numbers needed for fan engagement activities meant for giving return on investment to Sakunda Holdings,’’ he said.

“We boast of a colourful fan base, locally and in the diaspora, and we shall encourage our fans to give the ambiance to the fan engagement activities we shall line up.

“I want to take this opportunity to give full assurance to Sakunda Holdings that this newly-found business relationship, between Sakunda Holdings and Dynamos Football Club, will stand the test of time.

“And, at no time will the club disappoint Sakunda Holdings.’’

Bosso chairman, Johnfat Sibanda, echoed the same sentiments.

“It is unfortunate that we meet at a time of national difficulty, owing to the Covid-19 pandemic which has, for the better part of 2020 and this year, locked down lives, restricted most activities, thus drastically altering our normal way of life in most, if not all spheres of human interaction, and endeavour,” said Sibanda.

“As a result, the circumstances have not been favourable to sports in general but, in this case, football, and Highlanders, in particular.

“It is against this reality that we see Sakunda Holdings’ sponsorship beyond just Highlanders and Dynamos Football Clubs.

“Sport does not exist in a vacuum so, if that innovation and creativity is not supported by fans, the media and the corporates, who in actual sense are the lifeblood of the industry, the whole desire to grow sport, is an exercise in futility.

“We are delighted to have found a partner who understands the club’s immediate, mid-term and long-term plans and the vision of our great institution, which has stood the test of time.’’

Sakunda Holdings representative, Everton Mlalazi, said the company saw it fit to sponsor the two biggest clubs in the country.

“This is part of our corporate social responsibility as Sakunda Holdings and, by associating our brand with Highlanders and Dynamos, we hope it will work for all the parties involved,” said Mlalazi.