The Sunday Mail
Langton Nyakwenda recently in MASVINGO
IT is an excruciating pain they have had to endure for the past decade.
There has been no Premiership football in the country’s oldest town since 2011 following the relegation of Masvingo United, a team that rocked after the turn of the millennium and came close to winning the league championship in 2005, only to lose it on the final day.
It is now 15 years since that fateful afternoon of December 11, 2005 when all Masvingo needed was victory to clinch the league title.
Football fans in the town still reminisce on that near miss.
“Yuna Yuna”, as they were popularly known, went into the last round of the race sitting on second position with 56 points, two behind eventual champions CAPS United.
Makepekepe were clobbered 3-0 by Nesbert Saruchera’s Black Rhinos at the National Sports Stadium, but on that dramatic afternoon, Masvingo failed to capitalise on home advantage at their Mucheke fortress and fell 2-1 to a Dynamos side that needed nothing short of victory to survive relegation.
Godfrey Dondo scored for Masvingo, but the DeMbare duo of Clive Mwale and Elliot Matsika connived to deny “Yuna Yuna” their golden moment.
Six years later, Masvingo were relegated from the top-flight and since then, there has been no Premiership action in the town.
Masvingo Province currently has one team in the PSL — Triangle United.
Only four clubs — Masvingo United, FC Victoria, Chiredzi FC and Triangle — have played Premiership football in the history of the province, which now has over 1,5 million people.
It looks like ZIFA’s Masvingo provincial chair, Naboth Magwizi, has a lot on his plate.
“There is something we are lacking football-wise as Masvingo Province. We are lagging behind and football is no longer as popular as it was.
“The interest has died down,” he told The Sunday Mail Sport.
Whereas Masvingo United thrived on sound financial backing from the late famous bus operator, Tanda “Mhunga” Tavaruva, the general lack of interest from current businessmen and companies operating in the town has exacerbated ZIFA’s woes.
“As long as we have sponsorship from the stakeholders, businessmen and companies, our football will rise again.
“Look what happened to Masvingo United when “Mhunga” was in charge. I am appealing to businessmen to rally behind the sport.
“Masvingo is the oldest town, which should lead by example. Most things should start here; football projects should also thrive here,” said Magwizi, who owned FC Victoria when they made a one-season appearance in the top-flight in 2010.
Tavaruva died on May 11, 2020 at the age of 84.The institution he left behind is now run as a community club chaired by ex-Masvingo Mayor Hubert Pfidze.
They are still registered with the ZIFA Eastern Region Division One.
The Masomere era
There, however, is still hope though among its faithful, including former coach Luke “Vahombe” Masomere who was in charge when “Yuna Yuna” nearly clinched the championship in 2005.
“You know what? Masvingo United is the team I was most successful with and I always think about them. It was a well-funded and well-organised team, thanks to mudhara Mhunga (Tanda Tavaruva) who was the owner,” Masomere said.
The nomadic gaffer still regards himself a part of Masvingo even after a career that saw him take charge of Amazulu, Motor Action, Dynamos and Mwana Africa.
“We still have the potential to bounce back, but sponsorship is a bit of a problem. People of Masvingo, especially the businessmen, should put their heads together and bankroll this project.
“It’s an exciting project. People of Masvingo are entertainment-starved in terms of football. I remember the enthusiasm back then when some fans would pay using live chickens at the turnstiles. Waitonzwa vamwe vachiti tiri two pahuku iyi, vodopinda,” he said.
In fact, Masomere was in charge when Masvingo enjoyed their best spell in the Premiership between 2005 and 2007, finishing in the top four, including that second spot in 2005.
He was assisted by Taurai Mangwiro and Tavaka Gumbo. Masvingo won the ZIFA Unity Cup in 2002 and 2005.
They stunned Highlanders in the 2005 OK Woza Bhora final at Barbourfields Stadium.
Yuna Yuna were semi-finalists in the BP Cup in 2001 and 2002 and achieved the same feat in the 2002 Madison Trophy.
“I am not involved in football now, but that doesn’t mean I have abandoned the game. I still follow events. It’s just that I am trying to make a living through mining here in Mashava.
“Maybe one day I will bounce back.”
His initial stint with Masvingo was in 2002 when he took over from Charles Mhlauri during the second half of the season.
The team were relegated at the end of that season but they still managed to lift the ZIFA Unity Cup.
He bounced back in 2005 and had at his disposal a talented squad that included goalkeepers Tafadzwa Dube and Tembo Chuma, Musareka Jenitala, Costa Nhamoinesu, Malvern Nyakabangwe, Wonder Sithole, Simbarashe Gate, Lloyd Hlahla, Ferdinand Mwachindalo and skipper Dondo.
George Magariro, Cyprian Muchabaya, Asmin Rupanga, Isaac Nyausaru, Itai Gwandu, David Mutale, Johnson Zimbabe and Douglas Zimbango were also part of the Class of 2005.
Jenitala, who is now based in Germany, recalls how Masvingo revived his career in 2005 after most Premiership sides had rejected him because of persistent injuries.
“I have good memories of that team, thanks to mudhara Mhunga. May his soul rest in peace.
“I was coming from a serious meniscus injury at the end of 2004 and I was also trying to recover from various injuries, so I tried many teams in Harare but I was rejected.
“However, mudhara Mhunga welcomed me and gave me a chance. I want to thank him posthumously for that.
“Mhunga would pay us cash; in fact, we were one of the best-paid players in the league. Mhunga was like our Abramovic (Chelsea’s Russian owner).
“We didn’t have star players at Masvingo United in 2005, but we were a group of hard workers who had an able leader in Masomere.
“Sadly, the team is struggling and we are not hearing of it now. As a former player, I will try and speak to some people here, maybe they can assist the team. That team needs to be revived because it’s a historic team,” said Jenitala.
Zimbango, who also starred for Highlanders after making his Premiership breakthrough at “Yuna Yuna”, thinks the club’s former players have let Masvingo down.
“If I can be honest with you, that club is now on the verge of collapse mainly because people in my hometown, especially the businessmen, cannot work together to bring back the glory days.
“Even us former players we have let this great club down by just ignoring it and it’s sad. We are who we are today because of that great club,” said Zimbango, who is now based in the United Kingdom.
He was an A’ Level student when he made his debut in 2004, playing in the same team with his then Geography teacher, Asmin Rupanga.
“Masvingo United sent me to school, they footed my A’ Level studies,” he said.
Gate, who top-scored for Masvingo United with five goals when they won the 2005 OK Woza Bhora Cup, is now based in India, but “Yuna Yuna” remain his favourite team of all time.
“I played three seasons but we achieved a lot.
“Masvingo United helped me to be called for the Zimbabwe Under-23 team, where I scored crucial goals in the Sasol tournament against Ghana and Mozambique.
“Beating Highlanders in the 2005 OK Woza final remains one of my best memories at Masvingo United. We also beat Dynamos in Harare in the ZIFA Unity Cup final that same year.”
Football fans across Masvingo town, especially those from “Kuma R”, a popular high-density location near Mucheke Stadium, long for the return of Premiership football.
Some like Tonderai Chisoro also recall the fierce rivalry between Masvingo and Highlanders.
“Violence would usually erupt each time Highlanders came to Masvingo. I remember one incident when irate Bosso fans destroyed houses in Makuva Street there (pointing).
“Some of the Highlanders fans were blocked and failed to travel back to Bulawayo. However, football was always beautiful during those days and we long for those days,” said Chisoro.
Sadly, Mucheke Stadium is now derelict, with no capacity to host matches.
“A lot of work has to be done, council has to do something so that we can even attract some teams who can come and use Mucheke as their home ground,” remarked Magwizi.
