By Desire Ncube
Mutare – Manica Diamonds may have been relegated from the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League, but club owner Evance Kamombo (pictured)has challenged Manicaland’s influential figures to unite and find alternatives to ensure top-flight football returns to Sakubva Stadium next season.
Kamombo, whose takeover of the Gem Boys came with significant financial responsibilities, said relegation should not mark the end of the province’s football ambitions but instead serve as a wake-up call for collective leadership and action.
“Yes, Manica Diamonds have been relegated, but we need to demonstrate leadership by finding alternatives to ensure there is football at Sakubva Stadium next year,” is the message behind his appeal.
He called on businesspeople, corporate organisations, community leaders and other influential stakeholders to come on board and help preserve the province’s presence in the country’s top football competition.
Kamombo also urged football lovers to rally behind Manicaland clubs competing in the Eastern Region Division One League, with promotion to the Premier Soccer League offering another route back to the top flight.
Yadah are leading the promotion race, while Deportivo La Murambinda, Tenax CS FC and GreenFuel FC remain among the teams in contention.
The campaign presents an opportunity for Manicaland’s football community to turn disappointment into renewed determination by supporting its representatives in the lower division.
With Manicaland boasting a population of more than two million people and a strong football following, Kamombo believes the province must work collectively to restore top-flight football.
His appeal is clear, relegation should not divide the province or extinguish its ambitions. Instead, it should unite stakeholders behind a practical plan to bring Premier League action back to Mutare.
The immediate challenge is to turn that call into action through investment, partnerships and sustained support for the province’s clubs.
“The mission is bigger than one team. It is about ensuring that Sakubva Stadium continues to be a home for ambitious footballers and passionate supporters,” said Deportivo La Mrambinda president Pegnitious Mhembere.
Manica Diamonds have gone down, but Manicaland football must rise again.