Zanu PF triggers Bosso hijack fears

Sport
HIGHLANDERS Football Club is in the eye of a storm after invitation cards, adorned with Zanu PF campaign messages, for a handover ceremony of a bus, emerged on social media yesterday, with fans reacting angrily that the club was now being used for political purposes.

HIGHLANDERS Football Club is in the eye of a storm after invitation cards, adorned with Zanu PF campaign messages, for a handover ceremony of a bus, emerged on social media yesterday, with fans reacting angrily that the club was now being used for political purposes.

The purchase of bus was facilitated by long-time club benefactor Tshinga Dube, who is eyeing the Makokoba seat, but the Saturday handover ceremony, now seen to resemble a Zanu PF rally, left a sour test in the mouths of many supporters.

One message on an invite posted on social media reads: “Your presence will make us win this election.”

The cards also have a Zanu PF logo, colours and a resized picture of Dube’s campaign posters.

There was a huge outcry on social media from football supporters, who wanted their team distanced as far as possible from the ruling party.

Thembani Mthembo Dube on Facebook described the invites as “terrible stuff”.

“Highlanders has been turned into a Zanu PF institution,” he wrote.

“That Gumede must go is an understatement.

“Bosso fans need to organise themselves into a powerful fans’ association to influence issues and to keep politics out of the game.”

Munyaradzi Chadya said: “…but we can’t mix soccer with politics; no rally, no unveiling and handover.”

Sibangani Nkomo said: “Now Bosso is being used to win a political election.”

Gwanda-based activist Bekezela Fuzwayo Maduma decried what he thought was Highlanders being dragged into Zanu PF.

“Shocked that Highlanders is being dragged into all this for only $25 000,” he said.

“If there was that dire need for the money, certainly we, the owners of the team, would not have minded paying an extra $1 each in one game against Dynamos and raised that $25 000 and paid for the bus.

“If the condition of the donation is lobola to wed Highlanders with Zanu PF, please give us a chance to pay back the money and set Bosso free.”

But Bosso were at pains to say they were not being used for political purposes, with chief executive officer Ndumiso Gumede saying the club had not been hijacked by Zanu PF

“It’s a pity that the event comes four or so days away from the elections and there seems to be some uncomfortability with regard to this (sic),” he said.

“We want to state that as Highlanders we are non-political and non-sexist.

“In that spirit we are glad to accept this bus that is going to come.”

Gumede quoted section 1.2 of the Highlanders constitution, which reads: “The club is apolitical and prohibits any form of political, religious, sexual, ethnic, tribal or racial discrimination.”

“The event belongs to benefactor,” he said.

“We are providing the venue or the forum because we are the recipients.

“We are not part of politics. We have to try to steer away from it.

“The fact that someone has produced some invitations and added Highlanders is something else.

“There are people who have nothing to do with football that are doing this.”

Gumede said although the event coincided with the election, this should not be misread and as a club they were happy to be receiving it.

Dube’s representative, Nothiwani Dlodlo, said the handover event was not a political rally.

“Tshinga is campaigning, but because he knows that politics and football do not mix, he has advised his supporters and the electorate that this day is not a rally, it’s the handover of the bus,” he said.

“No political party regalia should be worn.”

Dlodlo said the handover ceremony was a social event and that a star rally would be held at White City Stadium.

“Social media should not be there to disrupt progress,” he said.

“This bus was not bought by the social media.

“Since 2013, it was said that the bus is needed, so if a person has offered there is a way that he wants to hand it over.”

Highlanders had been struggling to complete the importation of a bus until Dube chipped in and helped.

The team bus has come to be known as the “Tshinga Dube bus”.