The ManicaPost
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
ZIMBABWE Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) has strongly refuted claims that they have sold newly promoted Castle Lager Premiership outfit Tenax FC franchise to TelOne as baseless, malicious and mischievous.
Football fans in Manicaland were riled by news that TelOne will bounce back into the top flight league for this year’s edition after successfully acquiring a topflight franchise from Tenax FC who won promotion from the Zifa Eastern region last year.
ZPCS national sports officer Richard Tarangeyi said, “I am equally shocked by news circulating to the effect that the organization (ZPCS) has sold the Tenax FC franchise. At a time that Tenax FC are busy preparing for the oncoming season some sections, for unknown reasons, found it prudent to destabilise the team by circulating falsehoods.
“All I know is that Tenax FC are going to play in the top flight league. That is the position that I have. If anything latest comes from management we will duly and professionally inform the public not through rumours. All I can say the two teams Tenax and Whahwa are going to play. No franchise is on sale.”
The article, which quotes unnamed sources and published by a local private newspaper, alleges that lack of resources has driven the ZPCS to sell off one of their two franchises in the topflight after Whawha was also promoted from the Zifa Central Region.
The article further purports that the correctional services institution would still have been forced to relinquish one spot in the top division as rules do not allow them to own two teams in the same league.
However, not so long ago in 2015, Flame Lily played in the same top flight season with fellow correctional services side Whawha.
In fact, towards the end of that season, Flame Lilly became the latest side to be relegated when they were restricted by WhaWha at Ascot Stadium when Flame Lilly needed nothing short of victory to enhance their mathematical chance of remaining in the Premiership.
Army teams either Chapungu, Buffaloes or Black Rhinos have played in the top flight league during the same season on numerous occasions, including last year when Chapungu and Rhinos were part of the Premiership.
