UGANDAN KEEPER LANDS AT YADAH

Langton Nyakwenda

YADAH FC are slowly becoming a pool of big-name players.

Prophet Walter Magaya’s side, who are home to two former Warriors stars Khama Billiat and Evans Rusike, have added a Ugandan goalkeeper, Mathias Kigonya, to their cast.

Former CAPS United and national team midfielder Tafadzwa “Fire” Rusike is also training at Heart Stadium.

Reports say the club could also get former Celtic and Ipswich midfielder Kundai Benyu.

Industrious Dynamos’ linkman Tanaka “Kante” Shandirwa is also angling for a return to his parent club.

Shandirwa still has six months left on his one-year loan deal with DeMbare but the 24-year-old star player is pushing for a midseason switch back to Yadah.

Yadah FC chairman, Everson Chatambudza, confirmed the arrival of Kigonya, who will give the club an international flavour.

Kigonya is joining The Miracle Boys on a one-year deal.

“It’s confirmed, Yadah Stars have agreed terms with Mathias Kigonya of Uganda,” Chatambudza told Zimpapers Sport yesterday.

Kigonya’s agent, George Deda, revealed that the Ugandan has penned a one-year deal that will keep him at Yadah until June 2025.

Kigonya is a former Azam player, who also featured for Uganda during the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.

The 28-year-old Kigonya played with Zimbabwe international Prince Dube at the Tanzanian side.

He also featured in the CAF Confederation Cup in 2021.

Kigonya will compete with George Munhupedzi and Tinashe Takarinda for Yadah’s number one jersey.

The Ugandan was a free agent after his contract with Zambian side Trident FC expired.

Publications in Uganda are excited with Kigonya’s move.

“He (Kigonya) is reportedly in Zimbabwe to finalise the imminent transfer that will also make him a teammate of former Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs forward Khama Billiat,” wrote Swift Sports of Uganda early this week.

Apart from Azam, Kigonya also played for Zambia’s Forest Rangers and Sofapaka of Kenya.

Meanwhile, Shadirwa’s push for a return to Yadah could hit a brick wall as Dynamos insist there are no talks between the two clubs.

“We negotiated another deal beginning of the season and agreed on everything hence he (Shandirwa) was registered with us (Dynamos) for another full season,” Dynamos chairman, Moses Maunganidze, told Zimpapers Sport.

“There are reports to the effect that he (Shandirwa) was training with Yadah and if that’s correct then it wasn’t sanctioned by the club.”