The Sunday Mail
Langton Nyakwenda —
IT is the suburb that produced Memory Mucherahowa, the most successful club captain ever and a hood that also gave Zimbabwe one of the country’s finest ball passers of all time in Joel “Jubilee” Shambo (late).
The late Stanley “Sinyo” Ndunduma, regarded by many a pundit as the best ever winger to emerge from Zimbabwe was also born and bred in Mufakose.
Never “Maswerasei” Chiku (late), Angirayi Chapo, Stanley and Ernest Chirambadare, Nyaro and Taurai Mangwiro as well as Maxwell “Cheche” Billiat (late) all have roots in the township the locals like to call Mufombi.
Reigning ABSA Premiership Player of the Year and one of the top five African players plying their trade on the continent Khama Billiat, Talent Chawapiwa (ZPC Kariba), Blessing “Bisto” Moyo (Maritzburg United), Raphael Kutinyu (Chicken Inn) and Zvikomborero Bizeki (Caps United) are some of the latest products from the township.
With such an array of talent oozing from this high density suburb, famed more for its crime-prone nature than anything else, Mufakose has for over the years failed to build a top flight team of its own.
Enter Mufakose United; the 12-month old team that has grabbed national attention after shattering a 15-year-old record on its way to Division One football.
With a shoe-string annual budget of around $40 000, which translates to a modest $3 300 per month, Mufakose United clinched the Harare Province Division Two League title without tasting defeat in 30 games.
“Our records show that no team has done it for the past 15 years, this is a milestone achievement by Mufakose United.
“They are a formidable team with a decent following, being a club that hails from a soccer-mad suburb like Mufakose.
“We believe they will hold their own in Division One,” ZIFA Harare Province Administrator Vivian Tshuma said.
A brainchild of two youthful entrepreneurs Norman Chabata (38) and Joymore Chihwayi (31), Mufakose United Football Club is a project that has excited many including former DeMbare skipper Mucherahowa who is now based in the United Kingdom.
“This (project) is very important and this should happen in other suburbs as well. We had Kambuzuma United in the early 2000s but that club did not last.
“I hope Mufakose won’t go the same way,” Mucherahowa, who captained Dynamos to the 1998 CAF Champions League final, said.
“We have a lot of talent coming out of Mufakose year in year out, so I think it is high time the suburb has its own top flight team.
“Here in England every town has its own club, its own stadium which attracts a full house each time the teams plays at home,” he said.
Chabata and Chihwayi, the directors of Mufakose United are confident their project will finally bring Premier Soccer League football to the soccer crazy township. Talks are in progress with the council authorities over the renovation of Mufakose Number One Ground.
“We started this project as a way of inspiring the youths, to take them off the streets.
“Mufakose is a soccer township and we had a huge turnout when we conducted our trials.
“It wasn’t planned initially but before we knew it we found ourselves registering in Division Two in January, now we have finished the season without tasting a defeat,” said Chabata.
His co-director Chihwayi chipped in.
“And now we know the terrain, so expect us to cause trouble in the Northern Region Division One League.
“We are not in Division One to stay; we are aiming to go straight to the Premier Soccer League.
“With the abundant talent in Mufakose, I tell you Mufakose United will be the talk of the nation come 2018,” said Chihwayi.
Will they stand the heat, financially? The grueling Division One race will require much more than the $40 000 poured in Mufakose United’s debut season.
“That should not be a problem because we are in talks with potential sponsors. Remember we have a number of top businessman who were born and bred in Mufakose; they are all interested in supporting us.
“We also have former players who are now based abroad who have shown a keen interest. So we should be good to go,” said Chihwayi.
Forgotten former Dynamos, Caps United and Harare City winger Nicholas Alifandika has set his sights on reviving a faded career at Mufakose United in 2017. Mufakose United also boasts of an upcoming striker in Prince Chitombo who banged 14 goals in the just ended Harare Province Division Two League.
Kennedy Mutemeri, a CAF C holder and Godlin Mapisa form the technical team of Mufakose United which also has Shylock Muropa as the team manager. Club secretary Kevin Mapanda is confident they will retain all the players and is sure more talented players from the suburb will flock to Mufakose United
