The Sunday News
Lovemore Dube
Dixon Chunga, Kenneth Kwashi, Nathan Banda, Marko Tundu, Bryn Moyo and Kenny Dzowa share one distinction of having played second fiddle to their footballing brothers.
Chunga tried his luck at Dynamos hoping to follow the foosteps of his more famous brothers Kembo and Moses, while Nathan toiled at Zesa (Hwange) and Hwange FC but could not make the impact Thomas and John did at AmaZulu and Shabanie respectively.
Kenneth Kwashi tried his luck at Black Aces in the capital but could not scale the heights attained by his elder brother Stephen who had a colourful stint with Zimbabwe Saints.
He was part of the 1977 league and cup winning side that probably ranks the best ever assembled Chikwata squad may be followed by the Chibuku and championship conquerors of 1988.
Bryn, the son of Zimbabwe football legend Paul Moyo, tried his hand at goalkeeping after starring in the Chompkins Just Play Tournament in 2003, but like those mentioned above, he too could not match the standards of his other brothers Benedict, the late Benjamin and Botswana Railways Highlanders coach, Blessing.
Another sibling who did not to rise to the heights of his brothers is Marko Tundu, the eldest of the Ndlovu brothers all legends in their own right, Madinda, Peter and the late Adam.
Madinda Ndlovu
Last week Sunday News Leisure stumbled upon one of the first set of three brothers to line up in one side on an afternoon, Kenny Dzowa.
His brothers the Bosso legend Edward, laid to rest at Lady Stanley Cemetery last week on Saturday and Paul Tsumbe are some of the yesteryear big names.
Edward played for Highlanders and the Bulawayo Select better known in the early days of organised football as Red Army.
Paul played for Highlanders, St Paul’s Musami and Bulawayo Sables.
Kenny was born in Bulawayo on April 2, 1945 in Umguza District and grew up at 76 Nguboyenja. It was only fair that he attends the nearest primary school, Lozikeyi where he cut his teeth in the world’s most beautiful game as legendary Pele once described it.
“We played at school and was at one time drafted into our teacher’s club known as Hot Tots which my elder brother also played for with other school leavers.
“We played as boys at school and Mthwakazi Youth Centre where other sports like table tennis were available. As youths sport was a good pastime and the Bulawayo City Council did well to provide for us budding youths,” said Kenny Dzowa in an interview on Friday.
He said sport, football in particular, was what rocked among teenage boys with countless hours spent on the fields.
“It just was so much part of our lives and the youth club concept was an excellent idea for sport development,” said Dzowa.
His breakthrough into Highlanders came as an accident. He had moved from Hot Shots to play for Alpha in the Bulawayo Amateur Football Association (Bafa) where he met the likes of Edward Magungubala Dlamini and Jeffrey Mpofu who also played at Bosso.
The 1963 Highlanders split during the Big Three Era when Cobras was formed gave Dzowa his break.
“We, I mean Edward Dlamini, my elder brother Edward, Jeffrey Mpofu and Mackenzie Sibanda became the backbone of Highlanders. We were invited by a man who was Bosso boss a Mr Sibanda who was struck by lightning at Barbourfields Stadium Ground 5 during a session.
“It was a crucial time where the club had to be served. Many star players and officials had moved with Cobras leaving just a few loyal ones at Bosso. We came together and picked up the pieces,” said Dzowa.
He narrated how then Bosso’s all weather friends, Wankie FC, came to the team’s rescue.
“We were left with no uniforms to reckon with serve for a battered set and stockings. Taffie Moyo took us in his green Bedford truck which at times he used to ferry pigs with from Kezi to Bulawayo for sale and left us at the train station. The train took us to Hwange where we were warmly received and housed at the Number 1 Clubhouse.
“We played a friendly match which was used to raise money for balls and uniforms for us. After the match they gave us the late Andrew “Scrupata” Jele later to grow to a Bosso legend on the left flank with Edward,” said Dzowa.
Highlanders never looked back and Edward (Dzowa) and Mackenzie he credits them with recruiting more younger players who would later be the back bone of the club.
“Between 1965-66, Edward (Dzowa) and Mackenzie Sibanda brought on board Billy Sibanda, Lawrence Phiri, Paul Tsumbe my young brother, Barry Daka and a number of players among them David “Didi” Ncube who were to become big names in the game.
“We were campaigning in Bafa and that would stay until 1968 when a resolution to join the Rhodesia National Football League Division Two was made,” he said.
But there were fears by the conservative within the Highlanders family which led to the birth of Matabeleland High City a franchise retained in Bafa in case things did not work out in the semi-professional front.
He recalls round about 1965 when the club would feature Paul Tsumbe at Number 9, Edward at 8 and himself on the right wing the old Number 7.
“I had not seen it but had only heard about a set of two brothers in one team. Those were Rhodes and Albert Lobengula Khumalo, the Ngcebetsha and Hlabangana brothers. But to have three was a feat only achieved by us and the Ndlovu brothers Adam, Peter and Madinda almost 30 years later.
“I am proud that as a family we are part of Zimbabwe football history. What I have noted is that soccer is a family game whose veins run in families and I am not surprised my brother (Edward’s) sons Nkululeko and Mpumelelo made their names at Highlanders,” said Dzowa.
Mpumelelo is Edward’s second son whose career started at Highlanders before he blossomed to legend status in Harare while turning out for Caps United.
Dzowa, a former Highlanders right winger remembers the 1965 Siphambaniso Cup among his career highlights.
Back in the day he said people played for club colours and to entertain the masses with no monetary incentives.
The older set of Bosso players who inspired him include Vera Ayigugi Intshebe, Gibson Makhanda, Denis Bhejane, Scholar Litshi, Jaco and Jambok.
“These were exceptional players, the talk of Bulawayo and mesmerised opponents with their skills. They inspired me and among the big names too were Mashonaland United’s Raphael Scooter and this other defender who was superb but died after heading the ball with brilliant stars like Aleck Mwanza, William Sibanda and Gibson Homela turning out for the club during holidays.
“Dusty King, John Dube, John Chipukula, Edward Manyanyatha, Matthew ‘303’Marume were the stars of that era too where being selected to the Bulawayo Pick was priced. I was lucky to have shone to be considered with my brothers to that cream of stars,” said Dzowa.
In 1968 Dzowa missed training when Highlanders were conducting trials and that marked his last days at the club.
He says the reason was that he had lost the motivation for the game.
He hung on in the game at Cobras before calling it quits to concentrate on his job at radio manufacturers, Supersonic.
He revealed that while Bosso was always his team, Dynamos warmed up to him during the days of Freddy Mukwesha, Jimmy Finch, Josiah Akende, Bernard Marriot and Stephen Chimedza.
He is a staunch Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Real Madrid supporter but contends that Barcelona play the most exciting football.
Of his footballing brothers he says Paul had power, skill and big match temperament that had him snatched by Father Davis of the famous St Paul’s team that at one stage had star players like the Nxumalo brothers James and Josiah and George Shaya.
“Paul could hit the ball hard like Ronaldo. Ubhudi (Edward) was good on the left flank and played a number of positions, he was committed and hard working on the field.”
He has fond memories of matches against Gwelo United, Wankie and Mashonaland which were always played in a very competitive mood.
Dzowa is retired and spends most of his time at home or at church.
He is a devout Catholic and is married with eight children, 15 grandchildren and eight great- grandchildren.
Dzowa said he was moved to see former Highlanders players like Willie Luphahla, Kainot Luphahla, Lawrence Phiri, Billy Sibanda, Silas Ndlovu, Barry Daka, Chris Bha and the younger generation of Douglas Mloyi, Colsen Mabeza, Madinda Ndlovu, Elvis Chiweshe and Nkululeko Dlodlo at the funeral of his brother.
To have the likes of Gibson Homela too he said spoke of volumes of the man Edward Dzowa was to his community.
