Online Reporter
Tadious Manyepo
Zimpapers Sports Hub
ROCK-BOTTOM Premier Soccer League giants Dynamos could probably have been in a better place with Scottland starlet Mafios Chiweta in their fold.
The 19-year-old has been the biggest revelation of the season, dazzling for Highlanders on his top-flight debut before “Mabviravira” jumped onto his signature in the mid-season transfer window.
His incredible skill and sheer football intelligence gave Bosso some amazing balance and he has taken the same qualities to title-chasing Scottland.
Chiweta is being seen as an X-Factor for a star-studded Scottland outfit that is not short on talent and experience.
He has already delivered a glimpse of what he can do after providing two assists for Tonderai Ndiraya’s men in his first league game for the Mabvuku side in the 5-2 hammering of FC Platinum a fortnight ago.
Given that there are high-profile players at Scottland including Khama Billiat, former Warriors captain Knowledge Musona and Fredrick Ansah-Botchway, Chiweta has forced himself into the reckoning at the league debutants.
Chiweta could play a central role in the destiny of the championship.
While Chiweta is the talk of the league right now with a big chance of winning the championship in the same year he made his top-flight debut, the club that never saw value in him, Dynamos are fighting for Premiership survival.
The teenager was rejected by the Glamour Boys, not once but twice, in successive years, by two different coaches Genesis “Kaka” Mangombe and Lloyd “Ma Blanyo” Chigowe at DeMbare. The Prince Edward Academy product failed to convince Mangombe in a brief trial early last year before his nursery facilitated his move to Southern Region Soccer League side Ajax Hotspur.
After the expiry of his stay in Bulawayo, Chiweta once again attended Dynamos trials but still failed to catch the eye with Chigowe dismissing him alongside a host of other young players who had sought their luck at the former champions.
But Highlanders coach Kelvin Kaindu, ironically at Dynamos now, saw something special in him when he assessed him and decided to take him on board.
“Before I joined Highlanders, my football journey was built on passion, patience and hard work,’’ Chiweta said.
“I started playing at a local academy while doing my primary school at Glen Norah No. 7 Council.
“Around Grade 6-7, I joined Prince Edward Academy. In Form 1, Harare City offered me a scholarship at Waddilove High School, but I returned to Prince Edward in Form 2 and continued both my football and studies there until 2023. “In early 2024, I trained with Dynamos from January to June but didn’t make the final squad. In July of the same year, Prince Edward Academy helped facilitate a move to Bulawayo Division One side Ajax Hotspur, where I played until the end of the season.
“For the 2025 pre-season, I returned to Dynamos but unfortunately, I once again didn’t make it. I then travelled back to Bulawayo, auditioned for Highlanders, and thankfully passed. That opportunity gave me my first Premier League breakthrough,” Chiweta said.
And after scoring three goals for Bosso and securing his first Warriors call-up in the COSAFA Championship in South Africa, Chiweta is as focused as ever since crossing to the Mabvuku outfit.
He has already shown the stuff he can give Scottland, as he appears to be flawlessly fitting into their system while proving to DeMbare to be the biblical “stone that the builder refused.”
“Settling in at Scottland has been made easier by the welcoming environment from both the players and technical team.
“From day one, I felt like part of the family. I came with a mindset to work hard, stay humble and learn quickly,” he added.
“The support around me, especially from the senior players and coaches, has helped me adjust both on and off the pitch. It’s all about staying focused and embracing the challenge.
“For me, joining a team with some of the most talented players in the league wasn’t something to fear; it was something to embrace.
“I’ve always believed that surrounding yourself with quality only pushes you to grow. It’s a great opportunity to learn, compete and contribute in an environment that demands excellence.
“I came with the mindset to add value while also sharpening myself through the high standards set by the team.”
Chiweta is this afternoon expected to provide the cutting edge as Scottland seek to down an otherwise stubborn ZPC Kariba at Rufaro.
ZPC Kariba have built their commendable run in the league race on the back of a solid defence.
