Kaindu’s undying love for Bosso

KELVIN Kaindu rates among the best foreigners ever to grace local stadia as he set Babourfields Stadium alight with dazzling performances on the right wing for Highlanders Football Club.

Kaindu arrived in Zimbabwe at the end of December 1996 with Zambian Under-20 teammate Edward Kangwa.
He and Kangwa impressed in a trial match which prompted Bosso to sign the duo. Kangwa however, attracted interest from China and opted for the Far East.

Kaindu’s arrival marked the foundation for what is now famed as the Class of 1998, a formidable Highlanders that won four championships on the trot following an aggressive engagement on the transfer market and promotion of very brilliant players.

Highlanders brought in Jones Mulenga from Arcadia, Dumaza Dube from Bondolfi College and Kismet, Kaindu from Zanaco of Zambia, Dazzy Kapenya from Corrugated and Thulani Ncube, Gift Lunga Jnr and Noel Cele were among those promoted from the juniors though they had had experiences with other local sides in their development.

Highlanders had in 1989 had a Zambian Matthews Ndlovu, a great passer of the ball who however could not make an impact. Derby Makinka and Webster Chikabala were two Zambians who had in the immediate past made a great impact in Zimbabwean football with great performances and leadership on the pitch.

Harare born Makinka, so impressive was he that in 1991 he made it into the Soccer Star of the Year X1 in a season punctuated by Peter Ndlovus’ brilliance.

Never easy to satisfy Bosso supporters were eager for a return to winning ways and wanted a big impact player.
Kaindu’s trial game seemed to announce the arrival of a great and a player to take them down memory lane.

The coach who recruited him, Madinda Ndlovu had inherited wing brilliance from the like of Doughty Sithole, Morgan Phiri, Tommy Masuku and Cavin Duberley something that has been the hallmark of many Highlanders great teams. Once the ball moves to a fast winger and the crowd roars, many teams have collapsed around Zimbabwe under the weight of the 12th player – the spectator.

So then Bosso coach Madinda wanted to rekindle the flame, get crowds behind the tem as the last notable trophy won had been the 1994 BP League Cup.

“I was Madinda’s favourite player. I remember he used to say he does not have anything to tell me about wing play. He would say I remind him of his younger brother (Peter Ndlovu) who had pace and trickery like me,’’ reminisced Kaindu.

Born in Lusaka on the 14th of August 1977 to a cop father, Kaindu’s real football journey started in 1991 when he joined a local amateur side. His first Zambian local side was Lusaka Dynamos whom he joined as a striker in 1994.

Kaindu won Cosafa Championships as an Under-17 and Under-20 player with the likes of Davis Phiri, Hillary Makasa and Edward ‘Bubble Brown’ Kangwa.

“In 1993 while at secondary school I played for the Zambia national team in the Under-17 age-group and I rose to win two Cosafa Under-20 titles. I started making progress but was unable to go to the African Youth Finals because of an error on names and date of birth in my papers,” said Kaindu who lost both parents while at secondary school, something that would drive him to work extra hard to assist six of his younger siblings.

In 1995 he moved to Zanaco, a club he would later attain legendary status with. He stayed there up to the end of 1996 when Tshilamoya came calling.
“I played alongside great players like Willard Khumalo, Mercedes “Rambo” Sibanda, Benjamin Konjera, Bekithemba Ndlovu, Methembe Ndlovu and Thulani “Biya” Ncube,” said Kaindu.

Kaindu listed Danny Kabwe, his gaffer at Zanaco as his best coach. He worked under him before he joined Bosso in 1997.
The former speed merchant said when he left Zanaco, Kabwe was a disappointed man as he had looked forward to playing Kaindu who had been moved to the right wing when he turned professional in 1994 at the age of 17.

In his one and a half years at Highlanders, Kaindu made a big impact at a time the club had the seemingly not so serious Louis Kutinyu, a talented winger from Lovemore Msindo’s Fire Batteries, Gift Lunga Snr, Dumaza Dube, Gift Nkomo, Arum Tshuma, Makheyi Nyathi and the aging duo of Rambo and Mawii.

An injury and change of management at Highlanders resulted in Kaindu leaving for Zambia.
Highlanders finances were in tatters. New chairman Roger Muhlwa, a shrewd administrator, felt Bosso could not afford Kaindu’s salary and released him and the player eventually was paid outstanding fees after the intervention of Fifa.

But his love for Bosso stayed and has often said he was not bitter that the executive released him as they were honest that the financial situation was dire.Returning to Zambia Kaindu stayed almost a full year out of football and when he recovered, defenders were in for torrid afternoons. -@lovdube