that the same stands have been allocated to other people as well.
Some of the players, interviewed on condition on anonymity, said they had discovered that the whole thing was ‘publicity stunt’ by an embattled government.
The players were allocated stands in Cowdray Park in Bulawayo and Harare’s controversial Whitecliff suburb.
“The offer letter was all a hoax. I discovered that my stand had been allocated to somebody else. I first went to the stand and discovered some construction going. I thought it was my house, only to be told by a Zimbabwe National Army soldier that it was his. I have since given up,” said the player.
Zimbabwe Union of Journalists members were similarly tricked. The journalists were also given offer letters by the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and Urban Development, Ignatius Chombo, only to discover there were people already on the land. The journalists were registered with the Harare City Council before being made to pay Z$500,000 for the offer letter, at the height of Operation Murambatsvina.
Whitecliff now resembles a war-torn area, as construction has been abandoned while people have moved in to construct shacks. There is no running water and people use pit latrines.
The Warriors beat Zambia 1-0 in August 2005 to win Cosafa Castle Cup for the third time.
Local Government Deputy minister Morris Sakabuya announced then that the team would be given 18 plots of land.
“As a token of appreciation, my ministry will facilitate you to obtain stands (plots) in urban centres of your choice where we are carrying out housing projects,” he said then.
They were rewarded with stands, allocated under housing construction projects, which followed on from the government’s controversial clean-up campaign.
Zimbabwe Warriors allocated stands included Energy Murambadoro, Tapuwa Kapini, Herbert Dick, Method Mwanjali, Cephas Chimedza, James Matola, Leo Kurauzvione, Peter Moyo, Honour Gombani, Gift Lunga, Clement Matawu, Sageby Sandaka, Brian Badza, Ashley Rambanapasi, Leonard Tsipa, Ronald Sibanda, Gift Muzadzi, Francis Chandida. Coach: Charles Mhlauri.
Post published in: News