The Sunday Mail
Langton Nyakwenda
IT is arguably the richest town in Zimbabwe mineral wise, it houses the largest ferrochrome producer in the country and one of the biggest electricity power generating plants and yet Kwekwe has no Premiership football to talk about.
Ever since the relegation of Lancashire Steel Football Club in 2008, the 5 000-seater Baghdad Stadium – which at one point was a centre of fascinating top flight battles – has become a white elephant.
And Kwekwe continues to play second fiddle to smaller towns like Zvishavane and Chiredzi in terms of Premiership football.Kwekwe’s football demise began in 1999 when Ziscosteel FC, a yesteryear football force that benefited from Zimbabwe Iron and Steel Company (ZISCO) funds – was relegated from the Premier Soccer League.
Army side Tongogara went down the drain in 2000, Chrome Stars followed suit three years later before Kwekwe Cables went down the same path in 2004.
Once a conveyor belt that produced or nurtured players like the late Dream Team star Paul Gundani, Luke Petros Jukulile, Norman Komani, Petros Sibanda Malvern Nyakabangwe, Stephen Alimenda, Washington Arubi and Tafadzwa Dube, there is no “real” football to talk about in Kwekwe today.
From the highs of 1999, when the late Ashton “Papa” Nyazika won the Madsion Trophy with Lancashire Steel, in a victory that saw thousands of Kwekweans take to the streets to celebrate, the present is bleak for this Midlands town.
Football lovers in the town look back with nostalgia, the football leadership in the Midlands talk of a revival and the current Central Region Division One table gives some glimmer of hope.
“From the outside you can think nothing is happening football wise in Kwekwe but the current log standings in the Central Region will give you a picture.
“Teams from Kwekwe are dominating the region and chances are one of the teams from the town might rekindle Premiership football,” ZIFA Central Region chairman Stanley Chapeta told The Sunday Mail.
After Week Seven of the Central Region race, ZPC Munyati of Kwekwe led the standings with 15 points, a point above former Premier Soccer League side Whawha who were tied with MSU.
Ivan Hoe Mine, Tongogara and Chrome Stars – all from Kwekwe – complete the top six with Silo United and Kwekwe Stars also competing in the same Division.
“Football development is there in Kwekwe, it is not like nothing is being done to resuscitate football in the town.
“The people of Kwekwe are passionate about their teams and something is happening on the ground,” said Chapeta. To the ordinary man though, the wait has been long.
“It’s almost 10 years without top flight football in the town and it’s sad,” remarked Nico Makoya, an elderly man from Mbizo township. In the Eastern Region, Mutare City Rovers have begun well and look on course for an immediate return to the top flight.
The Mutare based side had 10 points after four matches, two ahead of Africa Trust with Mwenezana close by with seven points.Bulawayo Chiefs (15 points) have set the pace in the Southern Region and were two points clear of ZRP Bulawayo after five rounds of action.
Herentals have established an early lead in the Northern Region where ZRP FC and Mushowani Stars look like worthy championship contenders while exciting Mufakose United have been pegged back by numerous draws.
