The Sunday Mail
Langton Nyakwenda
FROM the young, obedient boy who loved his sadza and chicken and ran households errands diligently around Athens Mine in Mvuma, Rodreck Mutuma’s “sudden transformation” into the bad boy of local football has left his widowed mother, Agnes, a worried woman.
Rodreck Mutuma’s Mother
Contrary to the pompous and sometimes rude Mutuma that he is in Dynamos colours, those who grew up with “Jule”, as the Warriors striker is popularly known back in Mvuma, tell a different story.
They talk about a peacemaker, a brilliant footballer who made it into his high school’s first team in Form 2. Mutuma’s 61-year-old mother refers to him as “the father of the family”.
The Sunday Mail tracked the 27-year-old Mutuma to his roots in the wake of his well-documented controversial top flight football career.
Although The Prince is one of the most-feared strikers in the land, his character both on and off the field has often blighted taken attention away from his undeniable talent.
Those unflattering tales have made their way to Mvuma.
The boy that became a man. . . Rodreck Mutuma
“I hear a lot about Rodreck’s controversies, I know recently he kicked another player and was red carded. People always tell me of his behaviour whenever I walk around in this area and that is not good.
“Rodreck is the breadwinner for this family, everyone looks up to him and my prayer is that he changes his wayward behaviour and concentrates on what he knows best – scoring goals,” says his mother.
That kick was to Highlanders striker Ralph Matema in an Easycall Cup semi-final three weeks ago.
He had been earlier criticised for charging violently at referee Philani Ncube following DeMbare’s 1-2
loss to Harare City in the Chibuku Super Cup final on October 31.
The gangly striker was also involved in a training ground bust-up with clubmate Takesure Chinyama in September, a few months after The Prince rejoined Dynamos from rivals Caps United.
In August 2014, Mutuma was suspended from Dynamos indefinitely after exchanging blows with then skipper Murape Murape over winning bonuses.
All this has shocked Agnes and the Mvuma community.
“Rodreck is my soft boy, being the last born anotoyema whenever he comes back home. He grew up like that. He was always obedient and never did we hear of any fights or controversies associated with him,” Agens says.
Mutuma’s parents were born in Malawi, his mother making the great trek to The then Southern Rhodesia in the early 1950s when she was only three-years-old.
She met her future husband, Elias (a mine worker) and his job took the family to around the country to places like Empress Mine in Zhombe before they settled at Athens Mine in Mvuma.
Elias passed away in 2002, when The Prince was in Form 2 at Leopold Takawira High School.
Amos, the oldest boy in the family of five, developed a chronic back problem while Justin, another brother, has been trying his luck as a goalkeeper in lower leagues.
This has made Rodreck the go-to-person in the Mutuma family.
“I know he is known as The Prince in Harare but here the family calls him baba (father). Rodreck actually takes care of his brother and sister’s children.
“Malcolm, standing over there (pointing) is doing Form 2 and he is one of the three children Rodreck pays school fees for.“Oh by the way, very few people know that at one time, before he joined Dynamos, Rodreck used to play for mealie-meal since the team he played for didn’t have money for winning bonuses.
“Soon after every game, he would rush back home with the mealie-meal in time for us to cook. He has always been like that, he cares a lot about the family,” reveals Agnes.
“My boy had this amazing passion for soccer and we would always argue because I wanted him to concentrate on his education.
“But he was adamant and I remember one day, when he was still doing Grade 4 at Empress Mine Primary in Zhombe, he told me ‘amai muchadya negumbo rangu iri’ (one day the family will feed off my leg).
“That was his character, he was always confident and now I am happy he is now a big player. He called to tell me he is in the national team which will go to Rwanda next month. I have already started praying, and will fast for those games (Chan tournament).
“I know my Lord will guide my son. If he is selected in the final squad, he will definitely score goals.”
Mutuma’s friends, among them 30-year-old Simon Kalenge who was his senior at high school, will tell you that drinks rain at Mushayavhudzi Shopping Centre whenever The Prince is home.
“Everyone knows it, when Jule is here it is party time. Beer rains and everyone is accommodated,” grins Kalenge.
He adds: “I am surprised he has turned into such a controversial and temperamental guy because everyone here knows Roddy grew up a violence-free guy.
“Even up to now, when he comes back home he is not untouchable like most of the celebrities, instead he is down to earth.
“I was his senior at Leopold Takawira High School and he was my understudy for the number nine position in the first team.
“It was our school coach’s strategy back then that Mutuma would replace me in the dying stages of the game and despite his age the young boy would destroy the tiring opponents.”
