Chipunza Takes Charge at Manica Diamonds in High-Stakes Leadership Revamp Aimed at PSL Survival
By Desire Tshuma
MUTARE — Manica Diamonds FC has officially appointed businessman Tinashe Leslie Chipunza as chairman in a bold leadership shake-up the club says will ignite a new era of ambition, stability and success both on and off the pitch.
The appointment of Chipunza, a respected businessman and passionate football administrator, has sent waves of excitement across the Zimbabwean football community. Known for his deep love for grassroots football development, Chipunza has spent decades investing his time and resources into nurturing young talent, earning admiration from coaches, players and football stakeholders alike.
Chipunza is also the younger brother of the Fossil founder and a trusted lieutenant to businessmen Kudakwashe Tagwirei and Obey Chimuka, a connection that has further intensified public interest surrounding his rise at Manica Diamonds.
In a congratulatory statement released this morning, Manica Diamonds FC expressed confidence in the new chairman’s ability to transform the club’s fortunes. “Manica Diamonds FC is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Tinashe Leslie Chipunza,” the statement read. “His leadership, experience and commitment to football development will play an important role in strengthening the club’s vision and future growth. We congratulate and wish him success in his new role.”
The appointment comes at a critical moment for the Mutare-based outfit, with the club battling to climb away from the relegation zone in the fiercely competitive Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League. Insiders within the club believe the arrival of Chipunza signals more than just a leadership change, describing it as the beginning of a long-term football revolution aimed at restoring Manica Diamonds to its status as one of Zimbabwe’s most feared football institutions.
In the same breath, the club unveiled a sweeping restructuring of its board and executive management, a move designed to modernize operations and strengthen governance structures in line with professional football standards. The restructuring is effective immediately and seeks to improve operational efficiency, commercial growth and strategic decision-making.
The newly announced leadership structure places Evance Kamombo as Club President, with Tapiwa Letmore Mbidzo as Vice President for Commercial and Marketing. The Board of Directors includes C Kamombo, T Kamombo and C Gurura. The Executive Management Team comprises Tinashe Leslie Chipunza as Club Chairman, M Chihowa as Vice Chairman, F Mukwinya as Treasurer, and N Kadenge as Chief Executive Officer.
The club emphasized that the restructuring reflects its commitment to adapting to the evolving demands of modern football administration. “This restructuring process reflects the club’s proactive approach to meeting the evolving demands of the Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League,” the statement read. “By reinforcing our governance and commercial leadership, Manica Diamonds FC remains committed to achieving excellence both on and off the pitch while ensuring full compliance with modern sporting regulations.” The club also confirmed that the Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League has already been formally notified of the leadership changes.
Meanwhile, Manica Diamonds President Evance Kamombo, on behalf of Manica Diamonds, has congratulated ZIFA President Nqobile Magwizi on his election to the COSAFA Executive Committee.
While the changes in the boardroom have generated major headlines, early signs on the field suggest that the new administration may already be making an impact. Since the restructuring and leadership takeover, Manica Diamonds FC has managed two victories, two draws and suffered only two defeats, a run that club officials believe shows promising progress.
Club spokesperson Tapiwa Letmore Mbidzo described the results as encouraging, especially considering the pressure of fighting relegation. “We are on the right track,” Mbidzo said. “Ever since we took over, we lost one game, won two and drew two. This is not a bad start at all. We are fighting to move out of the relegation zone and we are pleased with the results so far.”
Football analysts in Mutare say the atmosphere around Sakubva and the wider Manicaland province is beginning to change, with supporters hopeful that the new leadership can finally bring stability, professionalism and silverware to the gemstone miners. For many fans, the appointment of Chipunza is not just about football administration, it is about vision, ambition and the dream of seeing Manica Diamonds FC rise into a genuine powerhouse of Zimbabwean football once again.
