Online Reporter
Tadious Manyepo
Zimpapers Sports Hub
CAPS United coach Takesure Chiragwi and Ngezi Platinum Stars midfielder Marvellous Mukumba have loads of beautiful stories to tell about each other.
Yesterday the pair was confirmed as Castle Coach and Player of the Month for March, following their fine starts to the 2026 season.
It is Chiragwi, who finally got to extract the best out of Mukumba in the four years they spent together as teacher and student at Ngezi Platinum Stars.
Before that, Mukumba was the other average player in the pitch, who couldn’t quite establish himself during his time at Dynamos, Ngezi Platinum Stars and Black Rhinos.
But once in Chiragwi’s hands, everything fell in place, with his name becoming a key element of the Mhondoro miners establishment that would win the Premier Soccer League title in 2023.
It was unfortunate that Mukumba, after playing a huge role in the engine room for the platinum miners, didn’t make it to the Soccer Stars calendar.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Soccer Stars awards night in which he picked the Coach of the Year accolade in 2023, Chiragwi said: “Well, you are asking about how I rate Mukumba (Marvellous), that’s a good one.
“You know, he is one of the best midfielders in the country; that much I can tell you and I will always repeat it.
“With all due respect, I would say it’s unfortunate he didn’t make it on the Soccer Stars calendar but believe you me, he is one player who I think also deserved a place amongst the Best 11 in the league this year.
“But it is what it is right now but Mukumba will one day show the world that he is one of the best players we have in this country.”
On that night, Chiragwi felt Mukumba was supposed to stand side by side with his teammates Qadr Amini, who won the biggest of them all, the Soccer Star of the Year, Nelson Chadya, Takunda Benhura who was also the Golden Boot winner and Delic Murimba along with the coach himself for a Ngezi Platinum archive photo.
That didn’t happen but it is Mukumba whom he is tagging for the 2026 individual gongs after Chiragwi was voted the March Coach of the Month with Mukumba the Player of the Month winner.
Chiragwi has moved on to the Green Machine taking with him eight players but left out Mukumba who still had a running contract in Mhondoro.
With Chiragwi’s former understudy Kumbirai Mutiwekuziwa taking charge of Ngezi, it is Mukumba who is providing the beat to the unbeaten side this year.
His immediate reward is the Player of the Month award which he has won for the first time in his top-flight career after scoring three goals in March.
For Chiragwi, both his own accolade and Mukumba’s are a source of inspiration.
“I am excited to win this award,” said Chiragwi.
“I give all the credit to CAPS United and my players for doing a splendid job in the field of play.
“It’s, actually their award. It’s for the team, it’s for the CAPS United fans because we all work together to achieve the same result. Credit to them.
“I should also say that I am very happy for Mukumba to have won the Player of the Month award. He is one player that I know is very focused. I am happy for him.”
Chiragwi’s CAPS United are leading the Premiership race with 16 points after seven games while Mukumba’s performances have seen Ngezi Platinum pursuing Makepekepe closely with 15 points and occupying third place on the log table.
Mukumba said: “I am very happy to have won this individual accolade. But it’s for the team. You know football is a team sport and I owe it all to my teammates and the coaching staff.”
