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 Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter

THE last Highlanders FC chairman to lead the club to the Premier Soccer League (PSL) title in 2006, Ernest ‘Maphepha’ Sibanda was laid to rest at Lady Stanley Cemetery in Bulawayo last Saturday after succumbing to diabetes related complications.

It was through his leadership, backed by an equally supportive executive and board that Bosso’s flawless administration managed to reap results from the field of play where the technical team and players simply concentrated on playing football.

Under Maphepha, the Bosso executive made sure it worked round the clock to get players recommended by the technical team.

Everything was done amicably, with Bosso, coached by Methembe Ndlovu, who had just returned from the United States of America, assembling a “mean machine” which was a nightmare for opponents and their fans looked forward to watching their team in action.

That 2006 championship squad rekindled memories of the trailblazing Bosso team that won four championships in a row between 1998 and 2002, as fans packed Barbourfields Stadium on match days.

Highlanders’ supporters would drive from Botswana, South Africa and all parts of the country just to watch their favourite team dismantling opponents.

Those were great times; times that Highlanders have failed to replicate for the past 15 years.

The only time Highlanders came close to assembling a competitive side since winning the 2006 championship was during the Kelvin Kaindu era when they twice lost the title to archrivals Dynamos on goal difference.

In 2012, Bosso and Dynamos ended the season tied on 69 points, with the latter emerging victorious on a superior goal difference. The following season, Dynamos beat Highlanders to the title this time tied on 54 points.

But in 2006, when they literally cruised to the title, winning with a 15-point gap ahead of runners-up, the now defunct Motor Action.

After 30 games, Bosso had accumulated 65 points from 20 wins, five draws and five defeats.

Indeed, Highlanders had assembled a formidable, balanced squad that brought shivers to their opponents.

Their defence was the best in the league, conceding the least number of goals, 26, while their conversion rate was impressive, managing 56 goals as they eased their way to the title.

Looking at the administrative side of that 2006 championship winning team, Maphepha was deputised by Elkanah Dube, with Horace Ndubiwa as secretary, Odiel Nkomo (treasurer) and Siphatho Ncube as committee member.
Dube, a former principal at Hillside Teachers’ College, now serves the club as a board member.

Ndubiwa has since retired from football administration, with his last involvement in sport being Bulawayo City FC secretary. Nkomo and Ncube, who are Highlanders life members, are pursuing business interests in the city.

Ex-coach Ndlovu relocated to the United States where he has revived his coaching career and was recently appointed associate head coach of United States women’s football side Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. The club’s head coach is another former Bosso coach Bobby Clark’s daughter, Jennifer.

His assistants then were Gift Lunga (senior) and the late Rueben “Exe” Tsengwa, who had been promoted from the club’s junior structures. Club legend Peter ‘Oxo’ Nkomo was the goalkeepers’ trainer, while Emmett Ndlovu was the team manager.

Lunga, who resides in Entumbane and is the father of Bosso winger Ray Lunga, is now working at the Grassroots Soccer, a non-governmental organisation, which uses football to create HIV/Aids awareness.

Emmett quit football administration and is the founding bishop of the Centre of Miracles Church of Christ (CMCCC) which is headquartered in North End, Bulawayo, and has branches in South Africa.

Most of the players who formed the trailblazing 2006 Highlanders squad sought greener pastures at the end of that season, with eccentric goalkeeper Tapuwa Kapini moving to South Africa and the trio of striker Obidiah Tarumbwa, midfielder Honour Gombami and utility player Vusa Nyoni moving to Belgium, while Ralph Matema was snapped up by South African giants Orlando Pirates.

Kapini is still active and is the goalkeeper and captain of newly promoted South African Premiership side Sekhukhune United, while injury forced Gombami to retire.

Gombami is still in Belgium with his family, with close friends saying the former Bosso midfielder is now a TV pundit in that country.

After retirement, Nyoni decided to stay in Belgium where he is involved in coaching juniors.

Matema now plays for Triangle United, with Tarumbwa in the books of ambitious First Division side Talen Vision, who have reportedly closed shop.

Many Bosso supporters will remember the Tarumbwa-Matema partnership, mazy runs by Gombami and Nyoni, who could easily filter as a left-back or left attacking midfielder.

Former national team defender Gilbert ‘Vava’ Banda stood in the heart of defence and could either partner Danisa Phiri or Master Masiku in central defence. One could predict the starting line-up of Highlanders, but it was difficult to imagine the roles that most of the players would be given.

At times Masiku could play as a right-back, central defender or as a box-to-box midfielder, with Gombami playing either on the right wing or behind the strikers.
Masiku is now the wagons manager at the National Railways of Zimbabwe. He previously held coaching jobs at

Highlanders, Caps United, Harare City and Talen Vision is into farming. He spends most of his time at his plot near Imbizo Barracks on the outskirts of Bulawayo.

Banda and Phiri moved to South Africa after retirement. Some of the 2006 Bosso players now based in South Africa include Farai Mujokoro, Mgcini Mhlophe, Keeny ‘Dokoza’ Msimanga, Brighton Dube and Brighton Choto.
Much-travelled Marshal Machazane is at Harare City, with club legend Johannes Ngodzo and Wellington Sibanda attached to Bulawayo City’s technical department.

Zephaniah Ngodzo was attached to Talen Vision before they announced that they were suspending all players’ contracts.

Revisiting the class of 2006 will be incomplete without mentioning the 2000 PSL Soccer Star of the Year Zenzo Moyo, who rejoined the club from Greece and made cameo appearances before hanging his boots in 2007.
Moyo is now the Bulawayo City FC vice-chairman. — @ZililoR