Chawonza apologises for Dembare CAF boob

Dynamos executive chairman Vincent Chawonza has taken full responsibility for the administrative failures that resulted in the club being excluded from this season's CAF Confederation Cup.

Chawonza apologised to Dynamos supporters, sponsors, board members and other stakeholders after the Zimbabwean giants were left out of the Confederation Cup draw held at the Confederation of African Football (CAF) headquarters in Cairo, Egypt, on Thursday.

Dynamos were deemed ineligible after failing to satisfy CAF Club Licensing requirements relating to outstanding payments owed to former coach Saul Chaminuka.

The debt, reportedly around US$13 000, was inherited from a previous administration.

Speaking publicly on the matter for the first time, Chawonza said the embarrassment could have been avoided and accepted responsibility for the failure.

"Firstly, I would like to apologise to our supporters, to our stakeholders, our sponsors, our board and every stakeholder in the football family and football-loving Zimbabweans for the failure for Dynamos to complete the CAF registration in time," Chawonza said.

He acknowledged that, as executive chairman, he should have ensured the matter was handled differently.

"I believe that as the Executive Chairman this could have been handled differently and we could have done it better than the way it came out," he said.

Chawonza, however, said he would not engage in a blame game over the administrative failure.

"I'm not finger-pointing or accusing anyone. I would like to just say I'm sorry, and also, I take full responsibility as the chairman in actually implementing this," he said.

CAF's Club Licensing regulations are designed to strengthen professionalism, governance and financial accountability among clubs participating in continental competitions.

Dynamos fell foul of the regulations after failing to clear the outstanding payable to Chaminuka within the required timeframe.

Despite the setback, Chawonza said the club's current leadership was committed to strengthening its governance and financial systems to prevent similar failures.

As continental football falls away, Dynamos will now turn their attention to domestic competitions.

The Glamour Boys return to action this afternoon against Hwange at Colliery in the Round of 32 of the Munhumutapa Challenge Cup.

They will also begin the defence of their Chibuku Super Cup title against Chaminuka's TelOne at Rufaro Stadium on August 16.

Chawonza urged supporters to put the CAF disappointment behind them and remain united behind the team.

"Let's remain united as one family," he said.

The Dynamos chairman also revealed that the club had appointed a reputable firm of chartered accountants to conduct an audit of its finances and help strengthen its financial management systems.

He said the club was determined to confront inherited challenges rather than engage in public blame.

"We do not only inherit successes and these many titles, the history, we also inherit challenges and problems that were created by our predecessors," Chawonza said.

He added that systems and processes were being put in place to prevent similar administrative failures in future.

"It's pointless for us to be finger pointing and washing our dirty linen in public. I promise you that we've put processes and systems in place to make sure that all these things will not happen again in future," he said.