Dynamos Players, Executives Clash Over Bonuses as Cup Final Looms

Dynamos Football Club players line-up

By Believe Nyakudjara

An uneasy standoff has emerged between Dynamos players and the club’s leadership, creating fresh tensions just days before Saturday’s Chibuku Super Cup final against Triangle at Gibbo.

The club is grappling with unpaid bonuses and confusion over what has actually been settled, leading to a rift that threatens their match preparations. While delayed bonuses are nothing new for Dynamos, this latest dispute has taken a new turn because players and club officials are giving conflicting reports about payments. The club claims to have cleared part of the arrears, but the players argue nothing has been properly settled.

Earlier this week, club treasurer Justice Mubayi was at the team’s training session, meeting only with senior players. According to the players, Mubayi told them they had received payment on the day they played Bikita Minerals.

“We did receive some money after the Bikita game, which we were told was for motivation,” said several players. “The fact that the meeting was with senior players only, leaving out the rest of us, speaks volumes. The club knows seniors are cautious about these issues, making it easier to persuade them back to training.”

Club chairman Moses Maunganidze’s executive insists that only bonuses from two matches remain outstanding. Players disagree, stating that the money given after their 1-0 win over Bikita at Rufaro was presented as a motivation token, not as part of the bonuses they are owed.

In a new twist, the club’s executive is now claiming that the same funds were intended to cover outstanding bonuses, not motivation.

Marketing executive David Chikomo maintains that most dues have been cleared, except for those from November. “We only owe them bonuses for three November games. Unfortunately, when we paid them after the Bikita game, there was confusion about what the money was for,” said Chikomo. “We sat down yesterday and cleared the issues. The November bonuses will be paid with their salaries after the Chibuku final.”

Chikomo also admits that some players are still owed signing-on fees from this season and last, but says the club is working to raise funds to settle those as well.

This back-and-forth has left players increasingly frustrated, with the executive’s statements often clashing with their own experiences. The situation has caused divisions within the squad, eroding trust between senior and junior players.

After tense discussions, the team eventually returned to training, though players say their grievances remain unresolved. Chikomo, however, insists the matter is settled.

“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, however, feel they were pushed back onto the pitch without proper clarity. “We now believe some senior players might have been paid secretly, which is why they agreed to resume training and pushed us to do the same,” said one junior player. “They returned from the meeting and told us to train without any proper explanation, so maybe they’ve been settled.”

Senior players reject those suspicions, insisting they too are unhappy with the situation. “When we received money after the Bikita game, we were told it was a motivation token, not a bonus,” said a senior player.

The seniors say they returned to training only because of the urgency to prepare for the final, even if it risks deepening the divide with the juniors.

Despite chaotic build-ups in recent seasons, Dynamos have often managed to rally and win major games, including a Harare Derby and two straight Chibuku Super Cup titles. Now, a potential historic third title hangs in the balance, overshadowed by yet another familiar storm.