NEWCOMERS Hunyani FC open their Eastern Region Division Two season tomorrow with promotion ambitions front and centre, club chairperson Jeremy Mnangagwa has said.
The league debutants welcome Mannyset FC at their fortress, Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport’s Airport Stadium.
Kick off is 1pm.
Mnangagwa framed the kick-off as the start of a deliberate push toward Division One.
“We built this club to give Hunyani’s youth a real pathway,” he told NewsDay Sport.
“There’s one target for the season: promotion.
“We’re not renting players or chasing quick fixes — we’re investing in coaching, welfare and discipline so progress lasts.”
The football outfit was launched in February by Tourism deputy minister Tongai Mnangagwa, the club’s patron and vice-chairman, with a locally grown roster and former referee Basil Makoni as head coach.
On the pitch, gaffer Makoni points to midfield organiser Beven Makoni, winger Trust Muchemwa and goalkeeper Prince Madzore to set standards.
Hunyani FC turned up at last weekend’s Zifa Mash East tournament in Marondera, also backed by charity vehicle, Tonganyika Trust.
Pre-season favourites Rusununguko, last season’s champions who opted to remain in Division 2, beat Betterbrands-sponsored Ghetto Boys on penalties in the final.
“Those are the levels we test ourselves against. We learn, we adjust, we go again,” Mnangagwa added.
Off-field, the chairperson said, budgets prioritise basics often overlooked in Division 2 such as regular medical cover, structured training and school support for younger players.
“Football gives them focus and a way out. If we have to handle success, we must also teach them responsibility,” he said.
Tomorrow’s match opens a schedule in which Rusununguko remain a yardstick, but Hunyani FC are intent on writing their own reference.
“We’re not just here to compete, we’re here to earn promotion.
“From this kick-off to the final game, the vision is clear and it is to develop Hunyani’s talent, represent the constituency properly, and move the club into Division 1.”
