Division 2 clubs failing to pay affiliation fees to be penalised

MARONDERA- Football clubs playing in the ZIFA Mashonaland East Division 2 league and
failing to fully pay their affiliation fees will be penalised.
Action in the unbranded provincial league resumed last week and the 11 teams have played
varying numbers of matches.
At the beginning of the season, the league’s management set an affiliation fee structure of
US$1 000 for clubs that were already in the set up while new clubs were mandated to pay
US$1 250.

However, paying such fees has been a mammoth task for the majority of teams as only four
have fully paid their affiliation fees.
League chairman Oscar Tsvuura told Chaminuka Sport that they will soon convene a
meeting with the clubs to find a way to make sure that the clubs own up.
“We are now in the second half of the season, having taken a break. Before the season
kicked off, we reached an agreement that all clubs would pay their affiliation fees. It is
unfortunate that most of the clubs have failed to own up to that obligation. Only four clubs
have paid the mandatory affiliation fees in full.
“The other clubs’ failure to do so has been negatively impacting on our operations
administration. In the coming few days, we will call for a meeting with the clubs to find ways
on how we can break even,” Tsvuura said.
A few months ago, the ZIFA Mashonaland East leadership resolved to expel four clubs that
failed to pay even a single cent to be part of the championship.
Apart from failing to pay the affiliation fees, the expelled clubs were also failing to fulfill their
fixtures, thereby resulting in shambolic tabling as the current log indicate that some of the
teams in the league have already played up to six matches while others had played only two.
Notable clubs that were expelled from the league are Kanyongo FC from Mutoko, Ben
Academy from Goromonzi as well as Goromonzi Stars and Beatrice Chiefs from Seke who
were newcomers to the provincial league but never kicked a ball as their sponsorship was
immediately withdrawn just after registration.
“Before the commencement of action in the league, we had in all sixteen teams that showed
their interest to be part of our structure. It is unfortunate that we had to axe four of them after
they could not raise the required affiliation fees. The clubs that we have at the moment paid
something but we want the fees to paid in full. The playing field should be even.
“The expulsion of those clubs I mentioned earlier on does not augur well for the development
of football in our province. We will continue to urge potential sponsors to fulfill their promises
and promote the talented footballers in Mashonaland East,” Tsvuura added.
At the time of writing, Chivhu United were at the top of the log table with 18 points, the same
tally with second and third-placed Eastern Bombers and Rusununguko.
The other clubs that make up the league are Hujuru, Sambok, Magamba, Kotwa United,
Auto Beatrice, Orange View, St Lucy and Calvary.
Winners of the championship will automatically join the Eastern Region Division 1 league
which is made up of teams from Mashonaland East, Manicaland and Masvingo provinces.