Online Reporter
Tafadzwa Chigandiwa, Zimpapers Sports Hub
MARVELOUS Nakamba is taking his football fight beyond the pitch, helping guide young people in his old neighbourhood away from drugs through the Njube Spurs project in Bulawayo.
The Warriors captain, now playing for Luton Town in England, supports his boyhood team with football equipment and financial aid. His father, Anthony, remains a familiar face at their home ground in Njube, affectionately known as the Desert. At the heart of the project is the Under-17 side, leading the Zifa Bulawayo Junior League with 56 points — eight ahead of second-placed Tigers FC, with six matches remaining.
Speaking from the UK, Nakamba emphasised that the team’s success goes far beyond match results.
“It’s a joyful thing to see Spurs’ Under-17s performing well. This is the age where many youths are vulnerable to drug use, but these boys are focused on football. That focus has kept them off the streets, away from drug abuse and other illicit activities. I’m proud of the Njube Spurs boys and their coaches. The whole project is inspiring. It’s not easy to top the log, especially in the juniors’ league where competition is fierce,” he said.
Nakamba’s commitment is long standing. In July 2024, through the Marvelous Nakamba Foundation, he donated four full sets of kits and a set of footballs to the club. At the handover ceremony, chairperson Trust Chizunza praised the initiative.
“We would like to thank Marvelous Nakamba for this gesture. It comes from deep within someone’s heart. Giving back to the community shows true commitment. The longer the project runs, the more our youths turn away from drugs,” said Chizunza.
Anthony Nakamba echoed the sentiment.
“Marvelous grew up here in Njube, and football has transformed his life. My wish is to see another Marvelous emerge from Njube,” he said.
Nakamba, who attended Helemu Primary and Njube High School, is also thinking ambitiously about the future. He hopes Njube Spurs will one day match the scale of Scottland FC, the rising club with a Premier Soccer League team, a development side, and an academy.
“Honestly, Scott (Sakupwanya) is doing a great job back home. The standards of our local football are improving. Look at the signings, the reported salaries, the renovation of Mabvuku Stadium, and the construction of villas for players and staff — he’s clearly committed. It’s also my wish that one day Njube Spurs becomes as big as that,” said the former Bantu Rovers midfielder.
