City of Harare mayor Bernard Manyenyeni has criticised Harare City FC management for spending millions of rate payers’ money on a team which failed to survive relegation despite huge investments.

The Sunshine Boys were relegated from the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League after finishing  on position fifteen with 38 points.

In a facebook post, Manyenyeni said the team’s officials blew $6 million this year to finance the club, which is six times the average team budget in a local league.

Here is a full statement of the mayor

After blowing $6m chasing a ball all over the country surely Hararians should congratulate us for being demoted from the Premier Soccer League this last Saturday??

We could/would buy any player any day and easily sit them on the bench.

We had more coaches than underwear.

We have pumped into the Sunshine City FC about SIX times the average team budget in the same league.

We even rejected an all-in team management contract at 25% of our cost.

Aren’t we lucky that it’s only ratepayers’ money!!!

The money could have bought 60 garbage compactors which could have served the entire city for 10 years.

For nearly 2 years we have struggled with a running fleet of only about 20.

We have run out of diesel even for the depleted fleet.

We have battled with debt and water treatment chemicals.

We’ve never run out of football funds – City Treasurer is also team treasurer nice and easy.

Top council managers are the team officials.

The most vocal councillors are in the mix big time…..they have since gone into hiding.

I hear the plan now is to buy a franchise and resurrect back in the league: WITH YOUR OWN MONEY maCOMRADES !!

By the way this is not a new chat: search Newsday 20.01.2015 – “You’re offside, City told.”

I quit as Patron but I still gave them my support as they plied on.

Ndicharamba ndichingovukura ndichingovukura ndichingovukura.

KUTONGWA KWARO GUTA!!