Zimbabwe: Patrick Tamson has promised US $400,000 to sponsor the Premiership package of debutants Chegutu Pirates annually.
As per the sources, the decision has been made after months of speculation on whether Chegutu Pirates would be able to play in the Premier League due to its financial challenges.
The Norton entrepreneur Patrick Tamson has decided to bankroll the club for the next five years continuously. Tamson confirmed the deal last Sunday.
The representative of Chegutu Pirates – Albert Kani, said that the deal is as good as done after Tamson sent his finance personnel to seal the deal on Sunday.
Representative Kani said that they are happy to manage and secure the sponsorship, who has committed to a long-term partnership and he has promised to care for the team in terms of remuneration and travelling expenses.
Kani added, “Our challenges remain that of the stadium as we would have loved to use our fortress Pfupajena as a way of thanking the Chegutu community for the support. The sponsor said that he is willing to work with the executive, which will be elected officially.”
Among the representative executives, the new sponsor was Gift Chari, who is a former MWOS FC team manager and is joining as the new Chegutu Pirates treasurer.
Notably, it is not the first time that Tamson has come as a relief to the Chegutu community and has supported teams in Mashonaland West Province.
Tamson is linked with betting house MWOS, who is bankrolling a team with the same name based in Norton in the ZIFA Northern Region Division One League.
MWOS FC and Chegutu Pirates were rivals for the sole ticket to the Premier Soccer League last season, with ‘Zaire’ winning the title, while MWOS FC finished a credible fourth in their debut NRSL campaign.
Another company which is also going to support the Chegutu Pirates is ‘HMix’, who will take over the front of Dzinza’s shirt as the main sponsor.
The incoming sponsor will have their quota of members in the executive committee, and the ‘HMix’ brand has links with the fledging business empire of Tamson’s cross-border transporter ‘Tamuka Coaches’ and foods processor ‘Tamuka Foods’.