Diggers Rugby Club chairman Chileshe Bweupe has confirmed that Mopani Copper Mine has suspended its financial support to the Kitwe giants.
Mining firms have either reduced or completely stopped funding sports teams after government’s decision to start withholding VAT refunds.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Bweupe revealed that Diggers previously received its monthly grant from Mopani last April.
The immediate-past Kitwe Mayor complained that Mopani’s decision to stop funding Diggers has negatively affected the operations of the Nkana West outfit.
“Diggers Rugby Club of Kitwe has expressed concern over suspension of financial support towards sports by mining companies citing constrained cash flow which has been instigated by a number of factors and exacerbated by withholding of VAT refunds to the mining companies by the Government,” he said.
Bweupe has since appealed to the Government to dialogue with mining firms over VAT refunds.
“Our last funding from Mopani was in April this year and we had a meeting with their senior management who explained to us why they were left with no option but to halt sponsorship to us.”
Bweupe added:”As chairman of Diggers I wish to make an earnest appeal to the government through the Minister of Sports Chishimba Kambwili to urgently look into the issues of VAT refunds which is one of the key issues cited by the mining firms for halting funding to sports clubs.
This is sad. Its a clear case of mining firms fighting the govt by hurting our communities. As a rugby fan, sports lover am worried. We are lucking funding and infrastructure already and losing funding for legendary clubs like diggers is a step backwards. Govt please put your house in order. This tag of war with these investors is hurting us.
Nationalize the Mine, after all they stole from Zambians. we will run it ourselves and fund all sports activities, they have killed. Who ever sold those mines should suffer even in their death.
This is alot of BS from the Mines. Their beef is with the Government, why use sports teams as pawns?
Black mail Black mail Black mail Black mail Black mail
Was funding supposed to be open ended till kingdom come? How about Diggers own sustainability programme?
….arm twisting the govt…with or without with-holding VAT refund, Mopani is capable of funding all community sporting activities in Kitwe and Muf. Next it will be Nkana and Muf wandarers football clubs…to make the govt sit on spikes.
..as the saying goes…when two elephants are fighting its the grass that suffers…
I wonder why these Mopani thieves were sponsoring Diggers when they have stopped funding Mighty. Rugby is hopeless. In Zambia its just an elitist sport with no plans at all for popularising it. I played rugby at school in the 70s and 80s but up to now I see no improvement in standards, or popularity. Its a sinkhole for any sponsor’s money. Like nsimbi says where is Diggers’ sustainability programme. There is no such thing because rugby players just want to be seen as playing a different game from soccer. They dont care about its popularity
Chachine Zambia has never progressed in rugby for the past 50 years. Bamene abo ba Diggers they keep beating hopeless local teams but they go nowhere. At least we see Kenya on the international stage with their sevens team. That clearly is progress