Manica Diamonds' record signing Kuda Mahachi will have to wait before he marks his debut with the club due to lack of match fitness.

This was revealed by team head coach Jairos Tapera on Sunday after his team's 2-3 defeat at home to Simba Bhora.

The majority attended the fixture and were looking forward to seeing the former Orlando Pirates and SuperSport United midfielder in action only to find out he was not in the team.

"I think supporters should understand that we can't buy a player today and throw him at the deep end.

"Kuda Mahachi has not been performing where he was, so we had to asses him and push him.

"We are going to play him when we feel he is ready to play, at the moment he is doubling his training to catch up," said Tapera.

Mahachi joined Manica Diamonds a fortnight ago as a free agent following his release from Ghanaian side Medeama where he only spent five months.

Upon his release, Medeama revealed that they were releasing Mahachi due to lack of match fitness, at the side the Warriors star played less than three games in which he was introduced as a substitute.

Before joining the Ghanaian side in August last year, Mahachi had spent nearly one year unattached to a club as he was going through legal battles with his former wife who was accusing him of abusing his son.

The 29-year-old midfielder was however acquitted of those charges.