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Veronica Gwaze
BY the time he was 10 years old, Francis Kaowa, well-known as “Captain Francis” in soccer circles, had become a popular vendor at soccer matches in and out of Harare.
Selling freezits and drinks to help eke out a living, Kaowa became part of the CAPS United family – being a vendor that they treated as one of their own.
And to date, the dreadlocked character has grown to be a renowned business person in Highfield, still loyal to the team.
The sixth born in a family of 10, together with his siblings they attended Hwangira Primary School where they would find themselves helping their parents at market stalls to put food on the table.
At 10 he was already saving up his profits and paying for his own school fees.
It was at that time the young vendor fell in love with the Green Machine and they in turn took him to be the changing room’s little brother.
“Together with my siblings, we knew that we had to fend for our school fees, helping our parents,” narrates Kaowa, who is usually decked in green and white regalia.
By the time he was in Grade Six Kaowa would pay his own school fees and buy himself school uniforms.
Because CAPS United FC and Dynamos have always had a sour relationship, their matches have always been marred by chaos from way back which sometimes made it tough for Kaowa and other vendors to conduct business freely.
Whenever the two locked horns at Gwanzura Stadium, it was always tough for the vendors to move in the packed stadium which made the National Sports Stadium his favourite.
Despite a tough upbringing, Kaowa now owns a complex in Highfield which houses a butchery, a shop, barber shop and nail bar.
“From that poor boy, look what I have achieved.
“If I could pay my own schools fees from as young as Grade Five or so, it means anyone else can do it and I would not mind sponsoring and nurturing someone who is in a similar situation.
“It was never easy but I made it work,” he says.
Of all the time, his best players are Joe “Kode” Mugabe and Masimba Mbuva.
A match he watched between CAPS and Dynamos in 1994 at Gwanzura Stadium is worth recounting.
“That day, the stadium was fully packed and difficult to manoeuvre. Vending was impossible. Most of my stock was stolen.
“I was devastated knowing that I would not be able to buy the pair of shoes I intended to buy and worse, my team lost the game.”
He was also there at the stadium in 1996, when the team won its first Championship under the then gaffer Steve Kwashi.
Kaowa hails Lloyd Chitembwe as his favourite CAPS United gaffer of all time.
Online Reporter