The Sunday Mail
Sports Editor
THE Zimbabwe National Soccer Supporters Association has lambasted Wicknell Chivayo for taking a dig at a Government Minister in a rabid rant on Facebook.
Last week, Chivayo attacked Higher and Tertiary Education Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo after the Tsholotsho legislator highlighted that Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) needed to engage corporate sponsors rather than individuals.Prof Moyo’s comments came after Chivayo announced that he will be withdrawing his Warriors sponsorship in protest against a factual story carried by The Sunday Mail last week concerning Warriors’ coach Calisto Pasuwa’s outstanding salaries.
“For sponsorship to be sponsorship it must be formal and thus contractual not personal,” Prof Moyo tweeted.But the amazingly reckless Chivayo immediately dismissed the Minister’s assertion. “With the greatest respect Honourable Minister your opinion surely is irrelevant at this stage…. At this stage I would be more interested to hear what the Minister of Sports or the Minister of Finance would have to say. If one of those two said Warriors don’t need your money I would honestly feel very relieved,” he posted on Facebook in response to Prof Moyo’s observation.Now, the ZNSSA has wadded into debate, telling Chivayo to stop being “childish and holding the country to ransom.”
“When you attack a Government Minister who was appointed by the President you are attacking Cde Mugabe himself,” said ZNSSA founding president Eddie “Mboma” Nyatanga.“This young boy Wicknell has done well to sponsor the Warriors but he is being childish and behaving as if there won’t be life when he is gone.“If his sponsorship comes with conditions he can walk away. Jonathan Moyo did a lot for the Warriors when he set up the Warriors Trust and when he says something the wise listen because he has travelled this road before.
“As supporters we are saying no to sponsors who attack Government Ministers, we are saying no to sponsors who want to hold the nation to ransom, we are saying no to sponsors who hurl insults at members of the media.”
Nyatanga also acalled on Zifa to actively pursue corporate sponsorship and ensure that the Warriors get to play some friendly matches before June’s 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at home with Malawi.
