Sports / Local
Maphepha angles for Bosso chairmanship
14 Jan 2015 at 08:31hrs | Views
CHARISMATIC former Highlanders chairman Enerst "Maphepha" Sibanda yesterday picked up his nomination papers for the chairman's post in what could mark a dramatic return to the club he led to the championship in 2006.
The Bulawayo giants have failed to win the title since then.
Sibanda, accused of financial irregularities over the sale of then striker Obadiah Tarumbwa to a Belgian club, also opened up on the issue and said he never took the club's money but chose to die a personal, silent and humiliating death in an effort to protect the name and image of Highlanders.
"The Tarumbwa issue was a deal that went bad, that's the truth and nothing more. I wanted to protect my club from certain things and to do that I had to bite the bullet and take the blame," said Sibanda.
"I told myself that yimfalayo and people may take it in whatever way they want but the honest truth is that I wanted to protect the club."
He will square off against incumbent Peter Dube in the February elections.
He said it was unfortunate that some reports have chosen to look at articles that were damaging his personality while deliberately ignoring the good that he has done for the club in the past.
"Not to say I am dancing to my own music but how many of you knew that the entire time that the late Eddie May was our coach he was using my Hyundai car?
"I never charged the club anything but all those things are not mentioned. The Highlanders people know the truth and will decide on election date but like I always say I have no hard feelings, it's probably what you are paid to do.
"Once I am in, I will take Bosso back to the people. If you check my strategic plan back then, you will realise that I had opened supporters' branches right across Zimbabwe and abroad because this is a people's project.
He refused to comment on reports that overtures to employ him as welfare manager was a plan to take him off the chairmanship race saying he actually never applied for the post.
The Bulawayo giants have failed to win the title since then.
Sibanda, accused of financial irregularities over the sale of then striker Obadiah Tarumbwa to a Belgian club, also opened up on the issue and said he never took the club's money but chose to die a personal, silent and humiliating death in an effort to protect the name and image of Highlanders.
"The Tarumbwa issue was a deal that went bad, that's the truth and nothing more. I wanted to protect my club from certain things and to do that I had to bite the bullet and take the blame," said Sibanda.
"I told myself that yimfalayo and people may take it in whatever way they want but the honest truth is that I wanted to protect the club."
He said it was unfortunate that some reports have chosen to look at articles that were damaging his personality while deliberately ignoring the good that he has done for the club in the past.
"Not to say I am dancing to my own music but how many of you knew that the entire time that the late Eddie May was our coach he was using my Hyundai car?
"I never charged the club anything but all those things are not mentioned. The Highlanders people know the truth and will decide on election date but like I always say I have no hard feelings, it's probably what you are paid to do.
"Once I am in, I will take Bosso back to the people. If you check my strategic plan back then, you will realise that I had opened supporters' branches right across Zimbabwe and abroad because this is a people's project.
He refused to comment on reports that overtures to employ him as welfare manager was a plan to take him off the chairmanship race saying he actually never applied for the post.
Source - the herald
