Football made my life: Rinemhota

By Augustine Hwata
WHILE many people have and continue to travel by aeroplanes, few get a lifetime opportunity like what Kingstone Rine-mhota did in 1999.
The former Zimbabwe international was virtually part of the flight’s cabin crew and, for a brief moment, Rinemhota could have been tempted to swap his football boots for a pilot’s licence.
“We were going to Eritrea for an African Nations Cup qualifier and the plane was fully booked.
“When we arrived in Cairo, Egypt, we were told that only the starting eleven players and two substitutes and a medic could travel at that time.
“Then the plane crew said one player could go if he could take a seat in the cockpit and that’s how I travelled,” said Rinemhota.
Until this day, veteran football commentator Charles Mabika jokingly refers to Rinemhota as “Cockpit.”
“Despite the challenging travelling arrangements we managed to win the game,” said Rinemhota.
Zimbabwe beat Eritrea 2-0 in Asmara on July 3, 1999.
During that time, Rinemhota was a key player for Dynamos although his appearances were limited by injuries.
He was also part of the DeMbare class that played at the Vodacom Challenge Cup with Moses Chunga as coach.
Rinemhota played in the same squad with Memory Mucherahowa, Callistus Pasuwa, Sandras Kumwenda, Lloyd Mutasa, Makwinji Soma-Phiri, Lenny Gwata (late), Joseph Makuwe, Bekhi Mhlotshwa, Lovemore Ncube and Gift Muzadzi as the first choice goalkeeper.
Current Dynamos captain Desmond Maringwa and Murape Murape, then rookies, were also part of the team.
Rinemhota had joined Dynamos on loan from Amazulu, then an expensively assembled side.
He spent two years on loan at Amazulu before his handlers Lancashire Steel agreed a deal with the Harare giants.
In 2000, Rinemhota joined the “Great Trek” to South Africa when he moved to Premiership side Free State Stars who were under the guidance of former Highlanders coach Roy Barretto.
But Rinemhota’s best football days were spent at Lancashire Steel.
“I enjoyed my football at Lancashire. That was the best time in my career.
“I was still young and confident and I was not plagued by injuries,” he said.
Rinemhota fondly remembers the Premiership tie between his Lancashire Steel side and Dynamos in May 1995 at Baghdad as one of his best matches.
“We were playing Dynamos before a full house at Baghdad and I still remember scoring two goals.
“We beat them 6-3,” said Rinemhota.
His team featured yesteryear stars like Paul Gundani, Newman Bizeck, Norman Nkomani while Adul Karim was the goalkeeper.
A year earlier, Rinemhota had a stint in Europe when he was joined a Swedish First Division club.
“Lancashire loaned me to CAPS United and I was just there for about a month before the Swedish club came.
“I went together with Ian Gorowa.
“We went to join a First Division club and football was not okay in Sweden then.
“The league was not very competitive but I was glad that I got a chance to impress in Europe,” said Rinemhota.
The Zimbabwean striker scored three times in his first four friendly games for the Swedish club IFK Vasteras to earn the praise of the club’s then president Karlerik Eriksson.
He said Rinemhota was gifted with a high degree of technical skill and blessed with speed.
Unfortunately his spell in Sweden was cut short because of injury.
“I had a serious groin injury and the club could not keep me for a long time,” said Rinemhota.
Infact, had it not been for the injury, Rinemhota, by a stroke of luck, could have landed a big move to the English Premiership under a deal that was being organised by Peter Ndlovu’s former manager Winston Makamure.
“Nottingham Forest came to Sweden for a training camp and they wanted to look at the Zimbabwean players.
“Unfortunately I had a serious groin injury and could not play.
“It was painful to lose that chance and maybe I could have landed a move to England then,” said Rinemhota.
During that time Ndlovu was an influential winger for Coventry City and his prowess had convinced Forest scouts to look at Rinemhota.
Back from Sweden he rejoined Lancashire Steel who then later loaned him to Amazulu where he spent two seasons before joining Dynamos.
As a striker, Rinemhota said always had to be a step ahead of the defenders.
“During our time football was tough and exciting.
“I remember facing tough defenders like Dazzy Kapenya and Dumi (Mpofu) but as a striker I always had to find a quick way to deal with them,” said Rinemhota.
Having started his playing career in Bindura at Chipadze High School before moving to Shurugwi and later Lancashire Steel, it was befitting that Rinemhota ended his career in his hometown where he was born in 1974.
He headed back home to Mwana Africa as player and assistant coach during the last days of his professional football career.
“I was helping Arthur Tutani and Willard Khumalo in the technical department,” he said.
Rinemhota also held coaching posts at Dorking in the Zifa Northern Region Division One league in 2007 and also spent some time at Sporting Manhenga.
In 2007/2008, Rinemhota went to Botswana to look for opportunities but returned home in less than six months.
“Last year, I was coaching Bindura University, a Second Division club in Mashonaland Central.
“It has been a learning curve as we finished in fourth position and hopefully I should be coaching the students again this season,” he said.
Just like most former players, Rinemhota has attended several coaching coaches.
“Hopefully, I would like to attain more professional qualifications in coaching and I am hoping to enrol for the next Caf C licence course.”
Rinemhota, a proud father of four, stays in the house that he built in Bindura’s Aerodrome suburb.
“At least I managed to invest from what I earned in football to buy my piece of land.
“I have built my house and I am a landlord.
“It’s an achievement that I am proud of and maybe that was the plan that God had for me.
“I am sitting pretty at my home and at least I have achieved something,” said Rinemhota.