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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter

CHARMED by Highlanders’ improved second half of the season performance in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League, the club’s principal sponsors, giant energy company Sakunda Holdings has offered 250 percent bonus to the team and administrative staff.

The bonuses windfall for Bosso players, technical staff and the secretariat is part of numerous supportive gestures that Sakunda has extended to the Bulawayo soccer giants outside the main sponsorship.

Speaking on behalf of Sakunda proprietor Kuda Tagwirei at a dinner held at a local hotel on Sunday evening, Nqobile Magwizi, the company’s projects manager, said Highlanders deserve to celebrate turning around their season which started badly, but managed to end on position five.

Highlanders Football Club lineup

“This year, Highlanders Football Club will be receiving a 250 percent bonus just to celebrate the efforts made by the team and staff members this season. Given where the club was at the beginning of the season and being at number five now, it calls for a celebration. As Sakunda, we are not worried about the final result but the process, efforts and commitment of both the players and management. Today, we want to recognise this effort and commitment through bonuses which will be paid out before the festive season,” said Magwizi.

Key to note is that the bonuses that Sakunda extended to Highlanders for managing to save a season that started off badly to finish on position five is that they are not included in the sponsorship package with Bosso.

It is out of Sakunda’s generosity that Highlanders have been benefitting from some add-ons that are not in the three-year contract they have with the giant energy company.

This is not the first time for Sakunda to go beyond the terms of their partnership with Bosso as they funded a strategic business retreat in Victoria Falls, organised a European tour that saw four members of the Highlanders leadership embarking on a “look and learn” visit. Last week Sakunda treated Highlanders to another capacity development programme in Harare.

Bosso board chairman Luke Mnkandla, executive committee chairman Johnfat Sibanda, Morgan Dube (secretary) and treasurer Busani Mthombeni spent 10 days last month in Spain, Belgium, France and England courtesy of Sakunda.

The energy company, who have been active in corporate social responsibility initiatives during the Second Republic, entered into a combined US$5,3 million three-year sponsorship deal with Highlanders and Dynamos in September 2021, an amount paid in local currency, over the next three years.

Nqobile Magwizi with Highlanders board chairman Luke Mkandla and executive committee chairman Johnfat Sibanda at Old Trafford

The deal sees Highlanders getting US$450 000 for salaries and allowances, US$60 000 reserved for signing-on fees, per each season, for three years. Bosso has also been receiving US$60 000 for administrative purposes, every season.

Highlanders’ vice-chairman Fiso Siziba who represented the club at Sunday’s dinner alongside chief executive officer Ronald Moyo expressed their gratitude to Sakunda.

“We met our principal sponsors Sakunda Holdings last night (Sunday) as a review of the past season, it was an informal meeting. We took them on a tour of our properties, the Robert Mugabe way offices, Clubhouse and California Hotel (Luveve camping house) and they pledged to assist come up with business plans to spruce up our business entities.

Sakunda Holdings

“They also extended the gesture to pay bonuses and this gives us confidence that they’re seeing what’s happening at Highlanders, it’s an indication that they believe in the process. Highlanders have always been known for excellence and we’re proud to be associated with such a sponsor who understands the club culture and where we’re headed for,” said Siziba.

Moyo said: “We are happy that the sponsors continue to make provisions to assist the club even though some of these things are outside the original sponsorship contract. We are even more thankful to the sponsors for their capacity building approach which resonates with the club’s long term plan to be a self-sustainable business entity.

“The Victoria Falls Strategic Business retreat and the European tour for some of the biggest highlights of the year as far as our partnership with Sakunda Holdings are concerned.” —@ZililoR