The Sunday Mail
Makomborero Mutimukulu
FOR the first 15 years after Independence, a star-studded and well-funded CAPS United toiled long and hard for a league title, but drew blanks.
They racked in trophies alright, earning the nickname the Cup Kings, but the big one eluded them despite having players like Joel Shambo, Shacky Tauro, Friday Phiri, Clever Muzuva, Anthony Kambani and Stanford “Stix” Mtizwa in their dressing room. CAPS United must have turned green with envy as they watched cross-city rivals Dynamos, Black Rhinos, Highlanders, Zimbabwe Saints and Black Aces all lift the ultimate prize in local football. They were the nearly men as far as the league title was concerned.
Thrice, Makepekepe were runners-up — coming second to Dynamos in 1986, being beaten to the big one by Black Aces in 1992 before making it to another second-place finish in 1993. Then a man who spotted an Afro and dressed like a USA jazz singer arrived at the club and vowed to deliver the one trophy that CAPS United yearned for.
Steve “The Dude” Kwashi (inset) had penned a Cinderella story with debutants Black Aces in 1992, winning the league title with a brand of football that looked to be way ahead of its time. That Aces side also featured the Mugeyi twins, Wilfred and William. Kwashi encouraged his players to express themselves, always shouting “show time” soon after his pre-match talk. The result was an Aces side that was easy on the eye.
So when Kwashi arrived at Makepekepe the mission was simple — get that big one into the team’s cabinet.
The Dude duly delivered the league title in 1996 and gave CAPS United the right to call themselves the champions of Zimbabwe for the first time in their history. The icing on that league success — the second in Makepekepe’s history after maiden success in 1979 — was the small issue that it came at the expense of DeMbare, who came second. Kwashi looked headed for the stars, but a car accident on March 26 2001 cut short his coaching career and left him battling for life.
It has been 19 years since that accident and local football seems to have forgotten about “The Dude” who wanted his teams to play the game with swagger.
On Wednesday Kwashi turned 66 and instead of focusing on the negatives like how the club he delivered from being the nearly men of local football has seemingly forgotten about him, he played it cool.
Music from his favourite musician Curtis Mayfield played in the background as Kwashi celebrated life with his wife and children.
The two-time championship-winning coach spoke about how grateful he is to be alive, his time at Aces and Makepekepe, his love for Liverpool and having his son Tostao as a budding football gaffer.
“I thank God for life, it is His grace that has taken me to 66,” said Kwashi in his address. Naturally, football cropped up.
“I am a football man, I was born one and will die one. I enjoyed success as a coach with the titles I won with Black Aces and CAPS United very, very sweet.
“But it was not all about me, it was team work. I also had good players. For instance, at Aces we had the Mugeyi twins (Wilfred and William), Peter Chamboko and Emmanuel Nyahuma.
“At CAPS United it was a machine made up of characters Brenna Msiska, Dalala (Albert Mabika), Lloyd Chitembwe and those boys Alois (Bunjira) and Stewart (Murisa),” added Kwashi. At Makepekepe The Dude also coached his son Tostao.
“He never gave me preferential treatment and just like every player I had to prove myself. He was a great coach, he still is. He is also an awesome father and we are thankful that he is 66 not out,” said Tostao.
