Dynamos forced to pay Gwekwerere US$27,000

Dynamos FC faced a significant hurdle in their return to CAF inter-club competitions due to a US$27,000 debt owed to former striker Evans Gwekwerere. Gwekwerere claimed this amount was due from various stints at the club. His claim, supported by the Football Union of Zimbabwe (FUZ), threatened to block Dynamos from participating in the Confederation Cup.

CAF's club licensing regulations require teams to settle any outstanding disputes, particularly regarding overdue payments, before granting permission to compete. Dynamos' executives had to urgently address the debt to avoid disqualification. They negotiated with Gwekwerere, settling on a payment of US$20,000 instead of the full US$27,000. They paid US$17,000 upfront, with the remainder to be paid in installments over the next three months.

The debt issue, inherited by the current Dynamos executive, had been overlooked for years despite a court order in Gwekwerere’s favor. The intervention of FUZ and the threat from CAF forced the club to resolve the matter quickly. Dynamos are now set to face Zambian side ZESCO in the Confederation Cup preliminary round between August 16 and 25.