Simba Namusi
Harare – In November 2024, Scottland FC—once a modest football outfit from Mabvuku—secured a sensational promotion to Zimbabwe’s top-flight Castle Lager Premier Soccer League.
But their story is about more than just goals and glory—it’s a masterclass in how political power is quietly seeping into leisure spaces that once belonged to the people.
Backed by flamboyant businessman and ZANU PF Member of Parliament for Mabvuku–Tafara, Pedzai “Scott” Sakupwanya, the club has become a symbol of political branding and financial muscle.
Scottland didn’t just win games—they bought status.
And with it, they may have bought silence and loyalty from a constituency tired of being ignored.
From Underdogs to Celebrity Squad
In a stunning display of ambition, Scottland made headlines by signing some of the country’s most prominent footballers. Among their marquee acquisitions are:
Knowledge Musona – the former national team captain and one of Zimbabwe’s most decorated football exports.
Khama Billiat – once the most sought-after player in the South African Premier Division.
Mafios Chiweta – a rising midfielder with a strong local following.
Terence Dzvukamanja – the dynamic forward previously with Orlando Pirates.
These are not just football players—they are national icons, repurposed under the banner of a club owned by a sitting MP.
Their arrival and the arrivals of many stars before them, instantly transformed Scottland from a promotional success story into a political megaphone.
While some fans see this as a welcome boost to local football, others are more cautious.
A Harare-based sports football fan observed:
“This isn’t just football. It’s brand positioning. You’re watching the creation of a political dynasty disguised as a football dream team. Match days in Mabvuku now include a fusion of football fever and political pageantry”
Wicknell Chivayo: The Power of the Purse
Complementing Sakupwanya’s football takeover is the rising influence of businessman and self-styled philanthropist Wicknell Chivayo.
Over the past year, Chivayo has taken center stage by gifting brand-new luxury vehicles to musicians, pastors and socialites
In 2025, Chivayo donated a generous amount of money to the iconic Bulawayo-based Highlanders FC.
The gesture was welcomed by fans and management, but it wasn’t lost on observers that Chivayo’s donations tend to flow toward figures and institutions that echo or amplify ZANU PF messaging.
His vehicle giveaways—often filmed and shared widely on social media—have mostly gone to a select group of politically compliant public figures.
Most recipients quickly express gratitude not only to Chivayo but also to the President, ZANU PF, and at times, government officials.
While these acts appear charitable, it can be argued that this is not charity—it’s choreography.
Wicknell is performing patronage in high definition. These are rewards for loyalty, masked as generosity.
The Shrinking Public Sphere
Football teams. Musical platforms. Social media pages. What were once spaces of free expression and civic imagination are fast becoming zones of partisan control.
Even public praise—whether at stadiums or church crusades—has become curated.
A pastor in Chitungwiza recently declared Wicknell “a servant of God” after receiving a luxury SUV.
Meanwhile, politically unaffiliated community leaders continue to struggle for recognition or support.
What’s being lost in all this is the “public sphere”—the space where citizens gather freely to express, argue, create, and imagine outside the gaze of power.
A Dangerous Normalisation
Zimbabwe’s Constitution guarantees freedom of association and expression.
But when economic support is tied to political allegiance, those freedoms become hollow.
A footballer who joins a neutral club struggles to be paid; one who joins a politician’s team gets to live large.
Community voices go silent not because they are banned—but because they are out-funded, out-branded, and outshouted.
Who’s Really Winning?
Scottland FC’s Power Moves
Promoted in 2024 under the ownership of ZANU PF MP Pedzisai Sakupwanya
Signed national icons including Musona, Billiat, Dzvukamanja, and Chiweta
Wicknell’s High-Profile Donations
Gifted Highlanders FC Sponsorship and pledged winning bonuses to Scottland FC
Donated over 20 luxury vehicles to musicians, influencers, pastors
Recipients often show open allegiance to ZANU PF or its leaders
Reclaiming What Was Ours
When political branding replaces team spirit, and praise songs take the place of protest anthems, the nation risks losing its ability to speak to itself honestly.
Football should unite. Music should challenge. Praise should be earned, not bought.
Zimbabwe must now ask—who owns the stadium? Who controls the mic? And how long before everything from talent to truth comes with a price tag?
