Zimbabwe: Kamba a Largely ‘Misunderstood’ Figure

Dynamos legend and 1973 Soccer Star of the Year Ernest Kamba who died yesterday has been described by close acquaintances as a largely misunderstood figure.

Kamba died at his home in Norton early yesterday at the age of 76 years.

Apart from his illustrious career, which saw him featuring for both Zimbabwe and Malawi and also winning the 1973 Soccer Star of the Year gong, he was known for spending his final years in football fighting successive administrations at DeMbare over the manner the club was being run.

To some, he was a rebellious, divisive, and power-hungry figure but to others, he was a hero, a champion of justice and good governance.

Kamba has always maintained that his colleagues at Dynamos, including the current leadership led by Bernard Marriot, have been violating the DeMbare constitution repeatedly after departing from the original document crafted in 1963.

Former Dynamos treasurer Eric Mvududu yesterday said football had lost a “principled man” who always stood for what he believed was right, especially when it comes to the DeMbare constitution.

“I have known him as a person who was very strict in trying to get people to follow the rules and the constitution of Dynamos, which made him very unpopular with some people in the club,” said Mvududu.

“Each time he wanted to get people to return to what their constitution says, sometimes they would take him out. But whenever he was kicked out, he never lost his love for Dynamos.

“He was a man who continued on his path without wavering. He was trying to preserve governance at Dynamos. He was trying to address the root cause of the problems Dynamos are in today, which is a lack of good governance.

“At one point he was incorporated into the board led by Richard Chiminya and at his first meeting he refused to take up the position and told them that the board should be elected by the electoral college and had no power to appoint him. “They suspended him until the electoral college lifted the suspension for his principal. For those who abhor good governance he was a controversial and unpopular figure,” said Mvududu.

Kamba’s death comes just 10 months following the death of his comrade-in-arms, David George, with whom he had teamed up alongside a group of some disgruntled former players in their long-dragging court challenge over Marriot’s claims of ownership of the club.

At the height of the bickering in 2022, Kamba who was one of the surviving senior former players, was elected chairman of the DeMbare Board of Trustees, deputised by Sunday Chidzambwa.

Eric Aisam was elected secretary while Cremio Mapfumo was the treasurer.

The 10-member Board of Trustees also included the late George, Moses Chunga, Clayton Munemo, Labani Kandi, Makwinji Soma-Phiri, and Ignatius Kapfunde.

However, the Board of Trustees never assumed the reins as Marriot fought back with his lawyers. Kamba later relinquished the post and retreated into retirement.

Another former Dynamos executive Brian Kashangura said Kamba was candid in his dealings.

“He was an honest and frank man. He loved Dynamos and I remember when he was on the Board of Trustees led by Chiminya and never interfered with the operations of our executive led by the late George Shaya. May his soul rest in peace and Dynamos Football Club will live forever,” said Kashangura.

Former goalkeeper Labani Kandi was shocked by the news of Kamba’s demise which he said he was still processing.

“I am still shocked to hear about this because only a few days ago we got in touch and talked. Sadly, we continue losing our football legends,” said Kandi.

Lifelong Footballers Trust chairman Francis Zimunya said it was miserable that football legends continued to be shunned as Kamba spent his final years shut out by his beloved DeMbare and struggling on crutches as a result of injuries suffered during his playing years.

“We just hope the authorities will accord him a befitting send-off because of the contributions he gave to the game.

“It’s sad that in Zimbabwe legends are not recognised by the people who are running the game. Kamba spent the remainder of his life disabled and I can blame that on neglect.

“It’s not Kamba alone in this predicament. We also have people like Sunday Chidzambwa, Murape Murape, and many others who have been injured in the line of duty and we pretend not to see the need for rehabilitation until someone ends up disabled.

“That is why we had proposed to approach the Ruwa Rehabilitation Centre to provide current and former footballers with rehabilitation services. We continue to appeal to authorities to respect our legends,” said Zimunya.

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Kamba was born on June 22, 1948, in Chinhoyi. He attended pre-school at Chakari Mine before proceeding to Manyaira Primary School in Marondera, where his career in football blossomed.

He later went to Monte Casino and St. Ignatius for his secondary education. He played for Rhodesia Railways while he was still a student at St. Ignatius.

Kamba played for lower division side Mashonaland before reaching his peak at Dynamos between 1966 and 1976.

He played alongside the likes of Sydney Dick, Alois Masikano, Lovemore Sam, Denver Mahachi, David Madondo, Lameck Mlambo, George Yoyo, Daniel Ncube, Shaw Handriade and the legendary George Shaya (late).

Most of these DeMbare heroes are now late, with Marriot the remaining ex-player among the generation that featured in the founding years.

Kamba also coached Dynamos in 1983 and won the league championship and the BAT trophy with a team that featured Japhet M’parutsa, Sunday Chidzambwa, and his late brother Misheck.

ZIFA Normalisation Committee chairman Lincoln Mutasa was part of that team as was the late midfielder Hamid Dhana.