Online Reporter
Langton Nyakwenda
Zimpapers Sports Hub
TAFFY Morris Musamba has turned one of Zimbabwe’s most unlikely football journeys into a cross border success story.
Barely a year after giving up the game and spending weekends dancing as a cheerleader at Scottland FC matches, the 19-year-old winger has reignited his career in Botswana’s Premier League.
Last weekend he made his debut for Black Lions and helped them to their first win of the season, an immediate impact that underlined how far he has travelled in a short time. For a player who seemed lost to the game in early 2024, the comeback feels almost surreal.
Musamba’s troubles began when his spell at GreenFuel stalled. Frustrated by limited opportunities, he walked away from the sport at the start of last year.
“A lot of things happened to me last year and I was down. I had health issues, also a bit of wayward behaviour,” Musamba told Zimpapers Sports Hub.
“At some point last year I found solace in cheerleading at Scottland FC matches in Division One. It all looked gloomy until a move to Dulis materialised. It was at Dulis that I was discovered by scouts from Black Lions and I am happy I am now playing top flight football again.”
That move to Dulis, a Division One side in Beitbridge, proved to be a turning point. Local football enthusiast Biggie “Big” Mabhidhi had heard of Musamba’s plight and refused to watch his talent waste away.
“That boy is so talented,” said Mabhidhi. “When I heard about his demise I immediately brokered a move to Dulis because I knew his potential.”
Under Mabhidhi’s guidance, Musamba rediscovered the joy of the game. He finished the 2024 season strongly and earned a call-up to Zimbabwe’s Under-20 team for the COSAFA Championships.
From there, his path back to the professional ranks opened quickly. Scouts from Black Lions, a club owned by Zimbabwean businessman Tendani Sebata, saw enough to offer him a contract in August.
The Botswana Premier League is becoming fertile ground for Zimbabwean players seeking fresh starts.
Musamba’s former GreenFuel teammate Tatenda Gora is a prime example. Gora, now 27, reinvented himself at Gaborone United and was named the 2024-25 Botswana FNB Premier Soccer League Defender of the Season, with some even tipping him for Warriors duty.
For Musamba, the change of scene has been liberating.
In Botswana he has found a league that values his flair and a club willing to trust him with minutes. Friends and family who once watched him lead chants from the terraces are now following his progress in a foreign top flight.
The speed of his transformation still amazes those close to him. From wearing a cheerleader’s outfit to pulling on a professional jersey in less than a year, Musamba has turned despair into inspiration.
His journey is a reminder of how quickly fortunes can shift when talent meets opportunity, and when someone like Mabhidhi refuses to give up on a gifted young player.
His story also raises bigger questions for Zimbabwean football. How many other promising youngsters drift away when early chances dry up? How many could be revived with timely support? Musamba’s revival, and Gora’s steady success, suggest that with better scouting and mentorship, the local game could keep more of its own talent shining at home.
For now, Musamba is focused on sustaining his momentum. Black Lions will need his energy as they fight to climb the BPL table, and he knows continued hard work could even reopen doors to the Warriors.
“It all looked gloomy,” he reflected, “but now I am happy I am playing top flight football again.”
