Tears and joy for Chikwata
ZIMBABWE Saints will always be one of the most talked about teams in the history of Zimbabwean football for a couple of reasons. It is one of the oldest clubs in the land, second most successful team in Bulawayo ever since the birth of professional football in the country and for the galaxy of stars it produced.
The Yesteryear Greats pages of Zimbabwe football are incomplete without the likes of Ebson “Sugar” Muguyo, Lovejoy Mugadza, Tapiwa Mudyambanje, Shaky Nyathi, Gibson Homela, Onias Musana, Andrew “Mai Maria” Kadengu, John Sibanda, Boyce Malunga, Chipo Tsodzo, Matambanashe Sibanda, Ben Makadzange, Lloyd Jowa, Henry Mckop, Agent Sawu, Aleck Mwanza, Simon Supiya, John Nyumbu, Chita Antonio, Zebron Magorimbo, Musa Muzanenhamo and Philemon Dangarembwa.
For years after the launch of semi-professional football in 1963, Saints were the torchbearers in competitive football as Highlanders joined association football in 1968 only to taste elite league action in 1971.
Cobras, City Pirates and Eastlands were there but not as successful as Saints before Bosso would come to the fore in 1973-1976 and a two year sabbatical at small towns and schools with the South Zone Soccer League.
In between the two teams’ pairing up in 1979, Saints won the Castle Cup and the league title in 1977 and added another in 1988.
Just last week a glimmer of hope was thrown on the horizon when Australia based philanthropist Adrian Mutungwazi through his Adachi Group of Companies presented Chikwata with US$30 000 sponsorship.
While celebrations of revival were in the air disaster struck the white and blue side of
Bulawayo following the death of two former stars, Joseph Jairos Mushaka a former player and club elder and Sebastian Nobert.
Mushaka is said to have been a no-nonsense defender who played the old Number 4, a central defender who carried the marking burden while his counterpart played as a sweeper.
He is said to have been very pacy and a hard tackler which earned him the nickname Sando (Hammer).
Sando played for Chikwata in the 1960s in the club’s early years when it was known as Mashonaland United.
Saints joined association football in 1963 with Bosso sceptical about the development forcing a number of its players to join newly formed Cobras.
Mushaka is said to have been among the players who rubbed shoulders with a then young and promising trio of Gibson Homela, William Sibanda and Aleck Mwanza who were identified from the Gweru amateur league while also turning out for Fletcher High School.
Former Saints chairman Vincent Pamire paid tribute to the role Mushaka played.
“Football is like a relay in athletics, you run your stage of the race and pass the baton to others to do the same. He was part of the 1960s into early 1970s generation of good and committed Saints. They played for the love of the badge and game. They left a legacy and were the foundation of the successes that the club went on to achieve in the 1970s and 1980s.
“The history of the club and Zimbabwe football is shallow without gallant names like Sando’s being mentioned. We as the football family should have tapped from his exposure and contribution to the game to come up with the real stories about the journey the game and clubs have travelled,” said Pamire.
His sentiments were shared by club former executive member and business people who were at the funeral wake on Thursday who included Engineer Chenge Chivonivoni and Martin Mabvira.
Zimbabwe Saints supporters and former players also came through to console the family.
Mushaka after retirement stayed an active member of the club.
In crisis times he was consulted and would contribute financially for his beloved Zimbabwe Saints to survive.
Sando was born on 25 December 1942 and grew up in Chegutu.
He moved to Bulawayo where he worked at Lyons Maid until his retirement where he would later venture into the transport business.
His son Lewis said Sando succumbed to diabetes and a heart ailment and had not been well for a while.
“He passed away on 20 July at about 12.30 hours. He was born in Chegutu and attended school there before coming to Bulawayo as a youngman where I am told he played as a defender for a Zimbabwe Saints team that had the likes of Homela, William and Andrew Kadengu when it was still Mashonaland United.
“He will be buried in Sanyati next to granny. He leaves behind five children and eight grand kids,” said Lewis.
Sando was due to be buried yesterday while in Bulawayo at Lady Stanley Cemetery Nobert was buried.
Nobert is believed to have had a heart attack before hitting a pole on Tuesday morning.
A city businessman who was in the mechanical engineering field, at his peak played for Gweru United alongside Wonder Chaka, Ranga Mutunga, Ashton Mhlanga and John Baison.
Heavily built and with imposing height, the likeable fella gave opponents a torrid time.
His career also brought him to Bulawayo where he played cameo roles at Zimbabwe Saints FC before work commitments stopped him from pursuing his passion.
He later started Masen Engineering and owned a funeral parlour in the city.