The Sunday News
Danisa Masuku
ZIMBABWEAN football history would be incomplete without the mention of Ephraim Chawanda. He was a dependable defender. As compliments go, “dependability” can feel a little back-handed.
In fact, he was a star defender who could thwart opposition with ease. As a result he commanded first team jersey for both his club team Zimbabwe Saints and the national team.
He was born at Njube Clinic in 1964 in a family of six children. Ephraim’s brother Josphat and him were the only Chawanda siblings who played soccer. Josphat was a striker.
In 1970 he attended Gampu Primary School in Mpopoma suburb where he played soccer and his footballing talent manifested. After completing his primary education at Gampu he went to Mpopoma Secondary School (now Mpopoma High School).
He joined the now defunct division one outfit – Black Aces which was based in Matshobana suburb. Before long he was snapped up by another division one side Queens Football Club before joining Llewellin also a division one side.
While he was with the army side Zimbabwe Saints scouts lured him to Chauya Chikwata as Zimbabwe Saints was popularly known. He joined the side in 1984 when he was only 19 years -old.
The lad played in at centre back. He gave his all and as such his coaches, Howard Maviza and Tendai Chieza made him a regular feature in the first team line up.
Even when Roy Barreto and Roger Russel took over as the coaches of the side he was still the Rock of Gibraltar, a nickname he says he was given by the late Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation sports caster Evans Mambara. He explains the meaning of the nickname.
“When I asked him (Mambara) he said I provided strength in defence and my defence was water tight,” he says. For sure he lived up to his nickname as he could thwart opposition with distinction in the back line and the late Mambara fittingly popularised his name. Chawanda gave immaculate services to the club and was voted the soccer star of the year in 1984.
He proved to be the best defender in the country and as such he received a national team call up in 1985, making his debut for the Warriors against Malawi that same year. His star power shone in the national team as a result he earned the captain’s armband.
He regards that as one of his greatest moments in the national team colours. “At the time there were good players like Francis Shonhayi but I was fortunate enough to be picked to captain the national team and I can safely say I enjoyed my tenure because I brought unity and team work to the team,” said Chawanda
He was part of that red hot Zimbabwe Saints of 1988 mentored by Baretto which went unbeaten for 23 matches to capture the Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League title that year.
The side participated in the Caf club champions Cup in 1989 and was eliminated in the quarter finals.
At the time Chauya Chikwata boasted of quality players such as Henry “Bully” Mackop, Jethro “Chemmy” Hunidzarira, Joseph Machingura, Obey Sova, Jimmy Phiri, Max Shaluza, Godfrey Paradza and Toindepi Shacky Nyathi.
His most exciting year in Chauya Chikwata was 1988 when his side clinched the league title and that marked flirtation with Zimbabwe Saints as he moved to Germany in 1989. He played for Bonner Sports Club and Victoria Cologne and Rheinbach Bundesliga 2.
He failed to break into top flight league, he explains: “I failed to focus on the Germany league as I came to Zimbabwe quite often to play for the national team as such I failed to master their brand of play. I was restricted to the lower rungs of the league.”
After spending six years in Germany, the frustrated Chawanda relocated to South Africa in 1995 and joined Orlando Pirates. But his stay at the club was not all good.
“I just played for the team without having signed a contract. That made my stay at the club sour and unsafe as such I had to leave and joined Moroka Swallows,” he says.
After spending two years in South Africa he left the side and joined Tanganda in Mutare where he was a player –coach and hung up his boots in 1997.
After he retired, Chawanda was the assistant coach at Zimbabwe Saints and has coached clubs in Botswana. He also spent seven years in Nelspruit, South Africa working with junior football teams in the Vodacom league.
Some of the teams he has helped get promotion to the SA First Division League include FC Sporting and Mbombela United.
