Online Reporter
Peter Kaviza
I still remember the dusty pitch at Esamendeni in 1974. I was just a boy from Tshabalala, chasing the ball with my cousin Fungai, better known as Kenneth Kaviza, when fate intervened.
Herbert Ushewokunze, a towering figure in football, health, and politics, spotted us playing. That single moment set me on a path I could only have dreamed of.
I was signed for just 12 British pounds, a small sum for the faith Zimbabwe Saints placed in me. The Bulawayo City Council Club system had shaped me, but Saints polished me. Suddenly I was sharing the field with giants like Max Tshuma, Gibson Homela, William Sibanda, and Ebson Muguyo.
My first taste of silverware came in 1976 at Rufaro Stadium in Harare. We crushed Highlanders 4-0 in the Chibuku Cup final, our first real trophy. The joy of that day still lingers. The following year we claimed the Castle Cup and the league title. Those were golden days.
Later I moved east to Manicaland, where I joined forces with Ernest Sibanda, Titus Majola, and my lifelong friend Shadreck Mkaratigwa. Together, we went 23 games unbeaten, until the team folded. I then turned out for Morewear FC before coming home to Zimbabwe Saints.
My career, though, was cruelly cut short. In 1984, during the Jairos Jiri Charity Cup against Highlanders, I broke my leg. Just like that, the playing chapter of my life closed. But my love for football didn’t dim.
I turned to coaching, earning my Level 4 certificate. From 2009 to 2011 I guided Zimbabwe Saints, and those years brought fresh pride. We finished second to FC Platinum in 2009 and to Chicken Inn in 2010, then narrowly lost to Quelaton in my final season.
What I cherish most, though, is nurturing talent. I scouted players like Jimmy Phiri, Joseph Machingura, and Misheck Sibanda from Red Seal Rovers and brought them to Saints. I also had the privilege of coaching Rodwell Chinyengetere, who went on to shine for Hwange FC, FC Platinum, and CAPS United.
Looking back, I see more than trophies and broken bones. I see a lifetime bound to Zimbabwean football, as both winger and striker, player and coach. My journey with Zimbabwe Saints is written not only in my memories but in the lives of those who carried the torch forward.
