BHORAFRIKA Issue 01 PHOTOS: © LIBERTINO Bhora Afrika’s XI players to look out for this season Born for Greatness!!! Chembere Dza Lodza 71 signings in four seasons and still going!
i www.bhorafrika.com BHORAFRKA MAGAZINE Advertising Space Available Contact Us Phone: 0717018914 Email: [email protected]
ii www.bhorafrika.com BHORAFRKA MAGAZINE CONTENTS 71 signings in four seasons and still going! Born for Greatness!!! Get your house in order to reclaim regional giant status Despite the stadia crisis, a ray of light is there…at least for local football Bhora Afrika’s XI players to look out for this season From Chart Topper to Top Scorer Chembere DzaLodza! FIFA Instructor Letsoaka tells Zimbabwe How Winky D’s Vigilance FC is taking Zimbabwe football by storm Could this finally be the year Ndiraya’s experiments work? Bigger, Bolder, Younger Sadomba Ready to Outshine Dad 01 10 08 19 05 16 13
1 www.bhorafrika.com BHORAFRKA MAGAZINE EDITORIAL By opening us up you have just become our first, well one of the first! The relief at finally sharing our first magazine is as intense as the work that went into it. You are looking at weeks of little sleep and constant jotting of notes and ideas, finally put into an e-paper whose consumption we hope will become part of your monthly tradition. We promise to do our best in giving you articles that can compete and eventually exceed the high quality already being produced by more experienced journalists on other platforms. Our drive is to give you content you won’t find “easily” in any of our daily and weekly papers. In this edition we step on a few toes, celebrate with those who have been celebrating and highlight our dreams for local football. We touch on Coach Tonderayi Ndiraya’s spending spree, Caps United’s ageing squad and share Sport Minister Kirsty Coventry’s timeline of promises regards rehabilitation of football stadia. The quality images you will marvel at are mostly a result of our partnership with Libertinó, Zimbabwe’s best football photographer; to display our level of seriousness. We are grateful for this as much as we are to advertisers who decided to jump head first into a startup, our writers and editors. Your feedback is to die for. Don’t hesitate to invade our X (@ bhorafrika), Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram inboxes with tips, news, criticism and any feedback you think might help develop this idea. Welcome to our “Dream Come True” Bhora Afrika Editorial Team
2 www.bhorafrika.com BHORAFRKA MAGAZINE Alex Orotomal, Albert Eonde, Newman Sianchali and Martin Ofori, whom many might have forgotten, are on Tonderayi Ndiraya’s ‘glittering’ list of 45 players he signed during his three-year stint with resurgent giants Dynamos between 2019 and 2022. Orotomal spent most of the 2022 Castle Lager season in a tiring search for goals after managing just one against Bulawayo Chiefs. Eonde was an FC Platinum reject whose goal-scoring prowess is being questioned by Ghanaian side Accra Hearts of Oak where he was signed upon being de-registered by 71 signings in four seasons and still going! Could this finally be the year Ndiraya’s experiments work? “Look, we are trying to be as competitive as we can as a team. We need to have the right players and this is what we are trying to do” Tonderai Ndiraya
3 www.bhorafrika.com BHORAFRKA MAGAZINE Dynamos while no one could explain why Sianchalli was at Dynamos. Not much attention had been paid to Ndiraya’s free-spending until Libertino’s revelation that he had already signed 26 players at fairly ‘monied’ Simba Bhora where he is also making good use of their deep pockets. Libertino is one of Zimbabwe’s leading football photographers with a considerably huge following online. His revelation saw him receiving threats from an unnamed individual who felt he had stepped on their toes. Less than five of the 45 players signed by Ndiraya during his three-year stint with resurgent giants Dynamos between 2019 and 2022 are still registered at the Harare club. Shadreck Nyahwa, club Captain Frank Makarati, Issa Sadiki and Emmanuel Paga standout Despite assurances all would bear fruit, Ndiraya eventually parted ways with Dynamos without having recorded a Cup win. “Look, we are trying to be as competitive as we can as a team. We need to have the right players and this is what we are trying to do,” said Ndiraya after signing Ralph Kawondera and Evans Katema. Having led the 2022 race for premier league glory by 12 points for a better part of the season, his squad surrendered the title to FC Platinum who won it with two games to spare. He was booted out of that season’s Chibuku Super Cup in the quarter-finals by the same team, months after losing the President’s Independence Trophy 1-0 to bitter rivals Highlanders. The quality he has signed for Simba Bhora cannot go unnoticed however, having brought in 2022 Soccer Star of the Year Walter Musona, Dynamos’ highly rated midfielder Junior Makunike and; the duo of Billy Veremu and Malvin Mkolo from Bulawayo Chiefs. All in all 10 top players have been signed. “The chances of winning the league are massive. We showed a lot of potential in our first season so we need to build on from there,” said ambitious Simba Bhora owner Simba “Buju” Ndoro. Musona’s abilities can never be questioned, having led FC Platinum to the 2022 championship. Even scored a scorcher for the Warriors against giants Nigeria in Zimbabwe’s second 2026 World Cup Qualifier. Makunike was a revelation at Dynamos last season where he was pipped by teammate Elton Chikona for the Castle Lager Rookie of the Year award by just one vote. The 10 in question add to the 16 he signed when he took over last year including veterans such as Valentine Musarurwa, former Dynamos Captain Partson Jaure, and exciting winger Talent Chawapiwa. Their lineup however spent the great past of last season battling against possible relegation while an axe hung over Ndiraya’s head throughout. That will be what many would be observing when the season kicks off, tentatively on February 24. Ndiraya will have a fifth chance to finally prove that mass signings do bring glory despite the unsuccessful three-year Dynamos experiment and Simba Bhora’s ongoing project. After exhausting over US$100,000 at Dynamos and a yet-to-be-quantified amount at the Shamva-based side, could this just be the year Ndiraya takes the league championship? ©bhorafrika.com
4 www.bhorafrika.com BHORAFRKA MAGAZINE
5 www.bhorafrika.com BHORAFRKA MAGAZINE From Chart Topper to Top Scorer How Winky D’s Vigilance FC is taking Zimbabwe football by storm F orget the constantly sold-out HICC and never-ending chart-topping hits. Forget NAMA awards and platinum records. The hottest ticket in town, and most electrifying performance on any pitch, belongs to social football outfit Vigilance FC - a brainchild of superstar and Dancehall sensation, Winky D, the Gafa President from whom the Gafa Boys moniker is derived . Former Castle Lager premiership star Allen Tavarwisa and pint-sized Chicken Inn analyst Clinton Matiza are part of the who-is-who that have donned the gold of Vigilance FC. Devon Chafa, who holds the record for most topflight titles won with FC Platinum legend Gift Bello (seven), has the jersey somewhere in his ‘mansion,’ so do Braai Out’s Nigel Chinovhiringa, celebrated MC Merciless, journalist and Bustop TV director Lucky Aaron. Winky D is one of Zimbabwe’s most iconic musicians. His music, which speaks of Zimbabweans daily struggles, describes their life in the ghettos and speaks truth to power. It has earned him millions of followers. Most of the team’s players met either at Winky D’s shows or on social media where they proceeded to create friendships that have persisted. When this team started it enhanced these relationships
6 www.bhorafrika.com BHORAFRKA MAGAZINE Vigilance FC games have recently been flooded by hundreds of fans who fancy meeting Bobo, famous after Winky D sang Saka Bobo on Paita Party in 2014, Mapancho and Kwinji whose names became household following the release of Mdhara Vauya in 2015. “It’s hard to separate Vigilance FC from Winky D and his music; you can’t love the team and not like Winky D, or vice versa,” said one of the team’s Coordinators Tichaona Machawira, popularly known as Kaka. “When we play our matches we are really comfortable around all our fans because we are getting to know the people around us, ndevedu vemudanga, tikudhonza ngoro yedu tese. It gives comfort. “The team gave fans an opportunity to belong, an opportunity to be part of the Vigilance family. Vigilance FC has given them answers to questions they had about personalities Winky D refers to in his songs, a chance for his fans to meet those people and know that they do exist.” The club’s rise is not surprising however, Winky D’s touch is gold. Vigilance FC, a name derived from The Gafa President’s band is actually selling paraphernalia, replica jerseys and club tracksuits much more than any of Zimbabwe’s Premiership sides. Winky D’s followers seen at his shows across the country are slowly making it tradition, a trend or uniform wherever he goes. His Ghettocraft Score show and the last Castle Lager Braai Festival are testament to this. Sponsored by local clothing label Viego, the team’s merchandise is even more accessible than that of Zimbabwe’s biggest clubs, Dynamos and Highlanders combined. Viego has been a worthy partner. Added Kaka: “Honestly, we knew it would blow up, what we did not anticipate was the time. All this happened faster than what we had anticipated. Making Vigilance FC selfsustainable was a plus for everyone involved with the team, we thank our fans for that and promise bigger things. “We are from the ghetto and the common sport we grew up playing is football, so forming a football team was easy or inevitable because already we were passionate about the game.
7 www.bhorafrika.com BHORAFRKA MAGAZINE “Most of the team’s players met either at Winky D’s shows or on social media where they proceeded to create friendships that have persisted. When this team started it enhanced these relationships. “We all know that football is a unifier; we wanted it to be a hobby not just for us but hundreds and thousands of Winky D’s fans out there, above all we saw football as a tool we could use to fight drug abuse and Gender-Based-Violence (GBV).” Vigilance FC are the defending Love Shouldn’t Hurt champions, an invitational competition played in Harare and meant to reduce GBV incidences or community tolerance for the ill while increasing availability of GBV services for survivors. Less than two years in existence, one can’t imagine how big this new institution will be when just like Winky D, it celebrates 20 years in this different but related industry.
8 www.bhorafrika.com BHORAFRKA MAGAZINE Get your house in order to reclaim regional giant status FIFA Instructor Letsoaka tells Zimbabwe Zimbabwe has great potential but getting its house in order should be top of its priority if it is to reclaim a spot as one of the region’s top teams, FIFA Instructor Serame Letsoaka has said. Letsoaka, a former Botswana Technical Director (TD) was speaking at ZIFA’s unveiling of its own TD Jethro ‘Chemie’ Hunidzarira this month. He was following up on a plan presented by Hunidzarira which focused on developing junior football as a
9 www.bhorafrika.com BHORAFRKA MAGAZINE means to create a steady base for Zimbabwe’s national teams. “Zimbabwe I know is top three in the COSAFA, there is South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. What is happening with Zimbabwe? What efforts can we make to make sure Zimbabwe is here?” said Letsoaka. “Zimbabwe is a big football country and if they do things right I can tell you that the sky is the limit for this country. You have unbelievable talent, there is great potential in this country.” Zimbabwe is fresh from a FIFA suspension that saw it miss out on COSAFA and CAF competitions for both clubs and the national team. Regionally, Zambia took advantage of Zimbabwe’s absence to claim its seventh COSAFA title, one better than their neighbours. Letsoaka, who was part of the team that oversaw ZIFA’s selection of Hunidzarira, said completing half of the new TD’s plans could get Zimbabwe back on track. “If we can do 50% of what he is saying here we are going to be a big force. “There is no way that Namibia, with due respect, can be better than Zimbabwe and you know that. “South Africa is always scared when Zimbabwe is in the same group with them.” Zimbabwe is expected to play South Africa in their 2026 World Cup Qualifier on June 10 this year. ©bhorafrika “Zimbabwe is a big football country and if they do things right I can tell you that the sky is the limit for this country. You have unbelievable talent, there is great potential in this country.”
10 www.bhorafrika.com BHORAFRKA MAGAZINE Born for Greatness!!! Bigger, Bolder, Younger Sadomba Ready to Outshine Dad At 14-years, forward, El Shaddai Sadomba is already more built up than his father Edward who is a legend and revered across football loving North Africa. He does not just want to be better than Africa’s seventh all time top goal scorer in the CAF Champions League, El Shaddai’s target is to beat all of his father’s records. Surrounded by the likes of current Footballers Union of Zimbabwe President Desmond Maringwa, Edward was part of the 2007 Dynamos squad whose performances
11 www.bhorafrika.com BHORAFRKA MAGAZINE in the CAF Champions League had the world hoping they would clinch it. After falling at the semi final stage, Edward moved at the end of that season to Mozambique’s Liga Desportiva de Maputo enroute to Sudanese giants Al Hilal where his status as an African giant was stamped. El Shaddai’s raw talent left many in awe at last year’s CAF Schools Championship, where he told journalists he also wanted to play for giants Dynamos, probably just so he bests his speedy father. El Shaddai scored six goals in five matches to win the Under 15 tournament’s top goal scorer award. These goals included a long range free-kick similar to the one Warriors’ star Walter Musona scored against Nigeria last November. With a support system headed by his father, a wealth of resources, some of which are taking him to Spain for a training camp this year, structured development at upmarket St. Johns College and Golden Eagles, Sadomba might just be the next best thing to happen to Zimbabwe (even despite indications he might be shipped off before any of us watch him play…again). Below is an excerpt of an interview El Shaddai (ES) had with Bhora Afrika (BA) at the CAF Schools Championship where he led Zimbabwe to a third place finish. BA: How far do you hope to go with your career? ES: For me, the plan is playing for the Warriors, taking them to the World Cup finals and playing in Europe. The World Cup is a big deal. BA: How important has your father been in your career so far? ES: He has been a huge factor in my life. He has been pushing me ever since I was little up until now and even when I sign my first contract he will be there. BA: With your father having played locally, have you considered following in his footsteps? ES: I would definitely consider playing for Dynamos, that would be amazing. I am not sure at what age he played for the national team but I would want to play for the squad earlier than he did, hopefully at 17 years. BA: Do you realise that you have big boots to fill when you speak about your father considering the records he broke? ES: My father is a legend here and all over Africa but one day I want to surpass him and play in Europe. I know he is one of CAF’s all-time top goal scorers, another record I would want to break. ©bhorafrika For me, the plan is playing for the Warriors, taking them to the World Cup finals and playing in Europe. The World Cup is a big deal.
12 www.bhorafrika.com BHORAFRKA MAGAZINE
13 www.bhorafrika.com BHORAFRKA MAGAZINE Chembere DzaLodza! CAPS United coach Lloyd Chitembwe has assembled a squad that is not too different from the one he had last term, something that has irked a certain section of the Makepekepe’s legion of fans. Having finished the season a distant eighth, 20 points behind eventual winners Ngezi Platinum and losing thrice to cross town rivals Dynamos, the fans said they had anticipated serious change. They blame the ageing squad for last year’s poor outing in the Castle Lager premiership and Chibuku Super Cup and have argued that signing a few younger players to Chembere DzaLodza! I know a lot of people are talking about the age, what I want the fans to know is very simple, a player’s age is as good as his performance. “ ”
14 www.bhorafrika.com BHORAFRKA MAGAZINE complement the ‘old’ would work better. Caps United signed 33 year-old Ralph Kawondera from Manica Diamonds, Bruce Kangwa (36) and Lot Chiwunga (38) whose 31-year-old brother Temptation will be featuring for Dynamos. These have added onto a squad with 34 -year-old Kelvin Madzongwe, Phineas Bamusi (34), Devon Chafa (33), Joel Ngodzo (33) and Rodwell Chinyengetere who at 35 seems not to be getting old though. Chitembwe, arguably one of the best local football brains, is no pushover however. The experienced gaffer has the total backing of Club President Farai Jere. “We are promising our fans the league championship this year. Caps United has only lost one player from last season, this shows that we have got a base, a foundation for the team to do business in 2024,” said Chitembwe. “The additions we have put in have a wealth of experience which they are bringing into the team. “I know a lot of people are talking about the age, what I want the fans to know is very simple, a player’s age is as good as his performance. “We have a problem with the entire football ecosystems which we need to look at. That system used to produce the Johannes Ngodzos who would play like 30-yearolds even when they were young. What happened to that system which came up with players that were so attractive to the league. Below are some of the comments shared by Caps United fans after they announced the signing of Kawondera, Kangwa and Chiwunga.
15 www.bhorafrika.com BHORAFRKA MAGAZINE
16 www.bhorafrika.com BHORAFRKA MAGAZINE Bhora Afrika’s A post Covid-19 financial crisis that hit the usual market for Zimbabwean players and the emergence of arguably better resourced teams are some of the factors that have ensured we enjoy our stars for longer than we used to in past years. We now seem to retain most of our stars as compared to eras when Zimbabwean top goal scorers, speedy wingers and creative midfielders were snapped up by foreign clubs before adding significantly to the growth of our local game. Had it been 2011 or the period up to 2016, Obriel Chirinda, Takunda Benhura, Elton Chikona, Junior Makunike, Peter Muduhwa and Bernard Donovan would definitely have been signed down South, in Zambia Tanzania or had numerous trials in Europe. All of last season’s Best XI players will be in Zimbabwe’s topflight this season, none of them could secure a move beyond our border; a plus for the local game despite this arguably reflecting badly on our quality. However, the emergence of well oiled teams such as Ngezi Platinum, Manica Diamonds and traditional money bags FC Platinum has also played a part in retaining talent. Financial stability at Dynamos and Highlanders has also made it difficult for other teams to price away their assets at the end of each season. Below, bhorafrika.com highlights 11 players (in 3-5-2 formation) to look out for this Castle Lager season. Share your thoughts online, tag us on X @ bhorafrika and let’s enjoy the world’s most beautiful sport together #iBholaLethu #BhoraRedu #OurFootball XI players to look out for this season A GK Nedrick Madeya (Greenfuel) Formerly with Hwange, Madeya was one of the most sought after goal minders at the end of last season.
17 www.bhorafrika.com BHORAFRKA MAGAZINE CB Gareth Madhake (Ngezi Platinum) Would not have been a surprise inclusion on last season’s Best XI calendar had he made it after a stellar season for the defending champions. CB Mbongeni Ndlovu (FC Platinum) Was central to Highlanders’ 19 match unbeaten run before trading the famouse black and white stripe for FC Platinum in December. CB Peter Muduhwa (Highlanders) A constant, ever green and one of the best defenders Zimbabwe has produced in recent history. CM Temptation Chiwunga (Dynamos) An exciting replacement for former Dynamos star Junior Makunike, Chiwunga has already been given the thumbs up after just one match in the pre-season. CM Donald Mudadi (Dynamos) Narrowly lost last season’s Soccer Star of Year award before scooping the same accolade at Footballers Union of Zimbabwe’s (FUZ) own ceremony. He could arguably be the best midfielder in Zimbabwe at the present moment.
18 www.bhorafrika.com BHORAFRKA MAGAZINE RW Alois Bunjira Jr (Caps United) Son to Makepekepe legend Alois Bunjira, the winger who was formerly with Golden Eagles will be another star to keep tabs on this season. LW Kudzanayi Dhemere (Manica Diamonds) Single-handedly saved ZPC Kariba from relegation last season. His runs on the wing definitely left many of his peers green with envy and coaches drooling. CAM Walter Musona (Simba Bhora) One of the best talents in recent history and 2022 Soccer Star of the Year, Musona’s risk move from FC Platinum will be measured in goals and assists at the end of this season. CF Obriel Chirinda (Ngezi Platinum) The most wanted player after his exploits last season. Fans will want to see if he carried his goal scoring boots from Bulawayo Chiefs. CF Elton Chikona (Dynamos) Last season’s greatest find according to the Castle Lager premiership panel of voters and an upcoming goal poacher. It will be interesting to see if Chikona lives up to his billing.
19 www.bhorafrika.com BHORAFRKA MAGAZINE Despite the stadia crisis, a ray of light is there…at least for local football This first edition would not have been complete without a look at our stadia crisis. The refurbishment of Rufaro Stadium will not ensure any return of international matches to Zimbabwe; a lot needs to be done at the ceremonial home of local football with some even suggesting that it be demolished. Rufaro stadium is one of a number of stadia which were closed over the past years and are still yet to open. Football mother-bodies ZIFA and CAF condemned the stadium in 2019 and since then no competitive, topflight match has been hosted at the venue. The National Sports Stadium The National Sports Stadium, was last season forced to close for rehabilitative work on its pitch and numerous failed attempts to get water flowing once again. It is not yet allowed to host international football despite promises upon promises by Sports Minister Kirsty Coventry, her latest being that it will host Zimbabwe’s June matches against Lesotho and South Africa. A number of investments have however been
20 www.bhorafrika.com BHORAFRKA MAGAZINE made regards local stadia, chief amongst them being The Heart Stadium by self-proclaimed Prophet Walter Magaya. These have to be appreciated and where possible, considered for use (again) this season. The Heart Stadium The 5,000 seater Heart Stadium was officially launched in December with hope of not just hosting Magaya’s premiership team Yadah FC but providing options for teams in the CAF Champions League (Ngezi Platinum) and Confederation Cup (Dynamos) who might be forced to opt for stadia in South Africa, Botswana or Zambia if promises of renovations at the National Sports Stadium are not kept as has been witnessed in the past. The beautiful stadium whose pitch is of international standard, although not 100% complete, will likey be used by Yadah FC this season. The Greenfuel Arena The Greenfuel Arena was first used in the topflight last season by lowveld side Greenfuel FC following months of sharing Gibbo with relegated Triangle United, at way above they had budgeted. Although details of how much had been poured into bringing football to Chisumbanje, 294 km from capital Harare, the stadium is a welcome development that eases usual stadium challenges. Sakubva Stadium Sakubva Stadium in Mutare was not used last season, as its owners Mutare City Council announced that they will be rehabilitating it for use this year. Already its pitch has been given the nod by last term’s runner up Manica Diamonds while issues such as installing of bucket seats, and general aesthetics still remain outstanding. This is another option away from Harare’s crisis. Rufaro Stadium Already touched on above, Rufaro Stadium is not too far off, in terms of renovations, to host LOCAL FOOTBALL. Forget about the stadium playing host to Egypt or any top African club. Even with a new car park (which is not a matter of much value in terms of stadium homologation), Rufaro Stadium cannot host those. The PSL should however consider opening it up for use by either traditional tenants Dynamos, rivals Caps United or a partnership as is being considered by Harare City Council. It would not be a new arrangement, Inter Milan and AC Milan share Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, which is commonly known as The San Siro.
21 www.bhorafrika.com BHORAFRKA MAGAZINE
22 www.bhorafrika.com BHORAFRKA MAGAZINE Advertising Space Available Contact Us Phone: 0717018914 Email: [email protected] Design by Digital263