Zimpapers Logo

Tadious Manyepo,n Harare Bureau

MUSHOWANI STARS could collapse before the end of the season if they do not get an urgent financial injection into their dry coffers.

The team, the only Mashonaland West side in the Premiership, have been operating on a shoe-string budget since the beginning of the season.

Players haven’t received salaries or allowances for the past four months.

They couldn’t even attend training sessions between Monday and Tuesday this week.

And yesterday, owner and director, Lovemore Nyakasoka, made a distress call for a bailout package.

Several individuals and corporates have pledged to help the Bindura-based side but no one has honoured their promise.

“We love football and we have the passion to develop the game in the country. That is the reason why we came up with this team,’’ he   said. 

‘‘We want to change lives through the game.

“Winning Premiership promotion was one step towards our goal. We thought we would see even much better things coming the boys’ way. 

‘‘But it has taken a financial toll on us.

“I can tell you that, for four months, the players haven’t received their salaries or bonuses. It is so stressful.

‘‘I can’t even stand it. Seeing them every day and knowing they have families to feed makes me heart-broken.

“We have been getting promises and pledges from several individuals and corporates but nothing has been delivered as yet.’’

He said the club was on the verge of collapse.

‘‘We are on the verge of collapsing. We would have wanted to keep Bindura on the football map but, as it stands, we might not be able to finish the season,’’ he said.

“We have sold our property for the love of the game and we are trying to sell what we remain with but it’s very difficult, no one is coming to buy.’’

They now use Trojan in Bindura for their home matches but spent a fortune in the first half of the season where they were made to host games in Harare.

They also lost their best player Evans Katema to Dynamos in the mid-season window.