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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter

THE Zimbabwe Rugby Union (ZRU) has dissolved the Bulawayo Metropolitan Rugby Football Board (BMRFB) ahead of the game’s national governing body elective annual general meeting this Saturday.

ZRU accused the BMRFB, only elected last month, of “paralysing the smooth running” of rugby in Bulawayo, despite the new board’s efforts to revive and expand the game throughout the province.

The timing of BMRFB’s suspension has already raised eyebrows with some in the province dismissing ZRU’s move as a ploy to prevent Bulawayo from having a say in the running and development of rugby in the country.

The dissolved BMRFB, comprising chairman Craig Change, vice-chairman Thembelani Ncube and secretary George Hlatshwayo, had instituted an audit for the period 2017 to 2019 in a bid to foster transparency and cleanse the game’s image in the province.

It had also moved to terminate the popular Hartsfield Tshisa Nyama contract to return the site to an exclusive rugby venue.

The new board introduced an Under-21 league, which is now in its third week and was attracting fans to Hartsfield, with numbers growing every week.

Efforts had also been made to revive women’s rugby in the province and the first match was played as a curtain raiser last week.

In a letter dated February 22 titled “Retirement of Bulawayo Metropolitan Rugby Football Board,” ZRU chief executive officer Sifiso Made said ZRU had made a unanimous decision to “retire and dissolve” BMRFB at an executive board meeting held on February 15.

BMRFB, which had been in office for just 000two weeks, was not invited to the meeting that resolved to dissolve it.

“The Bulawayo Metropolitan Rugby Football Board has failed to produce audited financial reports or comprehensive statements of accounts, as required by the constitution, and appointment of independent auditors in last five years.

“The ZRU shall appoint an interim management committee with articulated specified mandate with clear terms of reference circulated to the executive committee’s teams within the entire Bulawayo Metro, who will form committee memberships,” wrote Made.

Change could not be reached for comment. — @ZililoR