Story by ZBC Reporter
The Mufakose community in Harare came alive with the Mufakose Lodza Challenge Match, Fun Day, and Award Ceremony held this weekend to honour past and present sports personalities who hail from the area.
Zimbabwe soccer star Khama Billiat alongside Zimbabwe multi-award winning martial artist Shihan Wilfred Mashaya, a.k.a Zim Ninja, graced the event as Guest of Honor and Special guest respectively.
The event was organised by Lloyd Muchaka alongside Charles Thole as the coordinator/convenor and the Mufakose Area A Technical/organising team.
Khama and Mashaya were selected by the organisers as role models and achievers par-excellence who grew up in Mufakose so that they would inspire the community that nurtured them, especially imparting critical life lessons to the youths.
Both Mufakose Area A locals and diasporans played an important role in contributing to the success of the event united by one common goal of spreading Love, unity, and oneness. It was also a day of appreciating the Mufakose Area A legends as well as encouraging and inspiring the ghetto youths to live exemplary lives as inspired by guests Billiat and Mashaya.
It was indeed a fun day for the community, with Area A soccer legends like Lloyd Muchaka, Edgar Tapera, and other greats participating. The main match was dubbed the Lodza Challenge Match, pioneered by Lloyd Muchaka with the help of the organising team.
It ran under the theme, ‘No to drugs and substance abuse, No to child marriages, Respect the girl child; Promotion of good morals and talent, Promotion of health and wellness’.
Tendai Primary School provided the first session of entertainment, as co-hosts of the Lodza Challenge Matches. The first match was between the runners-up and the winners of the Charles Kaseke Tournament. Tendai Strikers won 17 -16 on penalties after the teams had drawn 1-all during regulation time.
The second challenge match was between hosts Area A Football Club and Friends of Lodza yesteryear select. It included former premier soccer league players the likes of Silver Bhebhe, Dominic Kampira, Saba Black and Brain “Nyozo” Munyani, and Siriro a.k.a. Sidza, among others. The select emerged 3-2 winners after a gruesome encounter.
The second round of proceedings was held at Chamimuka Community Centre (Area A). Security personnel were kept busy as the crowd blocked the pathway when Guest of honour Khama Billiat and special guest Wilfred Mashaya arrived. All wanted to have a selfie or photo with the two superstars. Khama’s parents also graced the occasion and were part of the invited guests.
Spectators were also treated to breathtaking entertainment by Special guest Zim Ninja as he gave a glimpse of world-class martial arts displays to the cheering multitude ululating and embracing their child.
It was a homecoming celebration as Zim Ninja was raised a stone’s throw away from the venue.
The main event was the AREA A AWARDS, where the community honoured their sons and daughters, past and present, who have put Mufakose Area A on the map and have done exceptionally well in different fields ranging from sport, arts, academics, and business.
Khama Billiat had the honour of presenting the awards to the Mufakose Area A winners, as Mashaya and Peter Nyamande walked away winners in the sports category as Current Sportsperson and Yesteryear Sportsperson respectively.
The Arts Award went to Charles “Akoma” Thole, while the late Josephat Masters and Mudiwa Nyamuswa were honoured in the business category. Professor Oliver Mutapuri scooped the academics award.
On outstanding teams awards, Shepherd Manyumbu received the award on behalf of the Albert Nhamoyebonde-led MTCA tennis team of the 80s and 90s, while the Hustler Basketball Team was the winner in the modern era.
Notable greats who hailed from Area A Mufakose are Justice Muswe, the former Zim tables tennis player and president, former ZB Bank CEO Rony Mutandagayi, Martin Dzuwa, the first black tennis player to win the Zim Open, Wilfred Mashaya the Martial Arts World Champion and winner of both the Zimbabwe Sports Person of the Year (2018) and Regional Sportsman of the Year (2019) and Hall of Famer.
With these initiatives and support from both Mufakose locals and diasporans, the organisers pledged to make the event an annual occurrence aimed at inspiring and changing lives in the community.
