Bakala turns doubters into believers

Langton Nyakwenda-Zimpapers Sports Hub

THEY might not have won the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League championship in almost a decade but CAPS United still enjoy a special record in the country’s elite division.

Makepekepe raked a record 79 points when they won the league title in 2004.

That is a long-standing record for the most points tally per season since the inception of the Premiership in 1993.

Then under coach Charles Mhlauri, CAPS United successfully defended their league title in 2005.

There was a foreign flavour to that all-conquering squad, which had stars who included Malawians Joseph Kamwendo and Hadji Tambala and the Zambian duo of Laughter Chilembe and Ian “Kabanana” Bakala.

While Kamwendo was outstanding in 2005, when he was named Soccer Star of the Year, Bakala and Chilembe were the stars of the show in 2004 when CAPS United lost once the whole season.

Both Bakala and Chilembe were Soccer Star of the Year finalists in 2004, the year that their teammate Cephas Chimedza scooped the top gong.

Bakala still recalls that season, like it happened yesterday.

When he came back to Zimbabwe in May he was actually expecting to see “the CAPS United of old.”

But the Zambian was surprised with the CAPS United he saw on the ground.

The Harare giants were struggling when Bakala was unveiled in May, but now, Makepekepe look like a team on an upward trajectory.

“After a long time, I came back here and I was thinking maybe it was the CAPS of old.

“That CAPS United I left, was still in my mind. But when I came, it was a different thing,” Bakala told Zimpapers Sports Hub ahead of today’s match against Bikita Minerals at Gibbo.

“Some of the players were sleeping when I came but they have woken up now.

“Obviously we have to bring back the team where it was. The supporters also, they are needed.

“The good thing is fans are coming in numbers, we can see the supporters are fully behind the team.”

Makepekepe registered their seventh win of the season when they edged traditional rivals Highlanders 1-0 in a Battle of the Cities clash at Rufaro last Sunday.

Nyasha Chintuli was on target as the Green Machine took their points tally to 28 and four above relegation.

Before Bakala arrived, CAPS United had two wins, they now have seven.

Overall, the 44-year-old Zambian gaffer has been in charge of 13 games since May 9, when he was unveiled at United.

His CAPS United have five wins, as many draws and three losses, since Bakala’s arrival some 86 days ago.

The team has picked up 20 points out of a possible 39, translating to a 51 percent success rate.

Under Bakala CAPS United have beaten Manica Diamonds, Chicken Inn, Kwekwe United, Scottland and recently Highlanders.

“I think it’s looking better than before.

“I’m just happy that every player is looking happy. “They are awake at the moment. “Everyone wants to work,” said Bakala.

He coached the Zambia Under 17 team at the 2025 CAF finals in Morocco earlier this year.

Before that, Bakala had also led Junior Chipolopolo to the COSAFA Under-17 title.

He also took charge of Forest Rangers and Lusaka Dynamos in the Zambian top-flight league before retracing his roots to CAPS United in May.

Bakala has brought some life back at CAPS United. Players are eager to prove a point and they showed it at Friday’s training session.

Strikers Jayden Bakare, Lewis Matindife and Chintuli look hungrier.

Foreigners including Zambian defender Chitoshi Chinga are also settling in well at Makepekepe.