Veronica Gwaze

Zimpapers Sports Hub

AN uneasy standoff has opened up between Dynamos players and the club’s leadership, raising fresh tension in the camp just days before Saturday’s Chibuku Super Cup final against Triangle at Gibbo.

The squad is battling unpaid dues and confusion over what was settled, and the dispute has created a split that threatens their match preparation.

While unpaid bonuses are nothing new at the Harare giants, this latest episode has taken a different twist because the players and the executive are giving conflicting accounts of what has been paid. The club insists it cleared part of the arrears. Players argue that nothing has been settled.

Treasurer Justice Mubayi visited training this week and met only the senior group, telling them they had been paid on the day they faced Bikita Minerals.

“We did receive some money after the Bikita game which we were told is for motivation,” said the players. “The fact that they decided to meet with senior players only, sidelining us also tells a story. They knew that senior are cautious in how they handle such issues and it would be easy to make them get back to training.”

The Moses Maunganidze executive says only bonuses for two matches remain outstanding. Players push back, insisting the money given after the 1-0 win over Bikita at Rufaro was presented as a motivation token, not the bonuses they are owed.

In a new twist, the executive has now shifted its position, claiming the same funds were actually meant to cover outstanding bonuses rather than serve as motivation.

Dynamos Marketing executive David Chikomo maintains most dues were cleared, except for November.

“We only owe them bonuses for three November games, unfortunately when we paid them after the Bikita game, they did not understand what the funds were for,” said Chikomo. “So we sat down yesterday and cleared the issues. As for the November bonuses, we will give them when we pay their salaries just after Chibuku finals.”

Chikomo admits some players are still owed signing on fees from this season and the last. He says the club is mobilising funds to settle those as well.

The back and forth has left players deeply frustrated because the executive’s account clashes with their own experience. The tension has also divided the group, with trust between senior and junior players taking a knock.

After a tense discussion, the team eventually returned to training, though players say the grievances remain unresolved. Chikomo insists otherwise.

“We are now on the same page. After ironing out the issues, the team resumed training and everything is now well, the players are eager and ready to play,” he said.

Junior players argue they were pushed back onto the pitch without clarity.

“We now believe that some of the senior players were secretly paid which is why they agreed to resume training and also force us to,” said junior players. “They just came back from the meeting and asked us to train without a proper explanation which means that maybe they have been settled.”

Senior players dismiss that thinking and maintain they are also unhappy.

“When they gave us money after the Bikita game, it came as motivation token and not bonuses like they are alleging now,” said a senior player.

They say they returned to training only because the urgency of preparing for the final outweighs their frustration, even if that choice risks widening the gap with the juniors.

For the past three seasons, Dynamos have often risen from chaotic build ups to win major games, including a Harare Derby and two straight Chibuku Super Cup titles. A historic third now hangs in the balance, clouded by yet another familiar storm.