An Mbare resident identified as Mangwiro said “social soccer” teams had proliferated recently but Zanu (PF) officials demanded that every individual who wanted to use the grounds must register with them at Carter House.
“Two of the 15 teams presented themselves there, but they later joined the boycott agreed by the majority of players, who insist Zanu (PF) has no authority over municipal facilities.
“Long established church teams were not required to register with Zanu (PF) and the Muslim team seems to be unaffected because they use school grounds,” he said.
A Sheikh at Mbare Mosque in charge of sporting activities who declined to be mentioned on security grounds said they had been denied the chance to use the municipal pitch by Zanu (PF) supporters.
“What I know is that when you want to use a pitch that they want to use you cannot win that argument,” said the Sheikh.
A Zanu (PF) source told The Zimbabwean they started taking soccer seriously earlier this year when a senior party member, Tendai Savanhu, donated soccer kits and footballs to the seven districts in Mbare.
“Savanhu saw it fit to mobilize the youths in Mbare through social soccer and he has donated soccer kits and balls so that the party’s youths could meet and know each other during the league and competitions between districts in the party structures,” said the official.
Post published in: News