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Charles Mabika-Special Correspondent

AFTER a two-year absence due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Harare Derby returns on Sunday at the National Sports Stadium. 

And yet the capital’s biggest showdown between CAPS United and Dynamos has been underlined by a low profile unlike in the early days of this epic football tie when fans were held spellbound at the mere mention of a clash that used to divide the capital in leaps and bounds even a month before the event at Rufaro or at the National Sports Stadium. 

When it all started in March 1977 in a league encounter, the thousands who filled the Mbare venue to capacity were thrilled by a classic match that eventually saw a super-charged Dynamos, led by the creative genius of their talisman, George “Mastermind” Shaya, narrowly edge the top-flight league’s newcomers 3-2. 

Whilst The Glamour Boys had an awesome line-up that included Shaya, brothers Sunday and Misheck Chidzambwa, David “Broom Boy” George, Oliver “Flying Saucer” Kateya and Daniel “Dhidhidhi” Ncube on that day, the Green Machine had a relatively unknown combination that featured ‘keeper Steven “BaMunyaradzi” Chisango, Solomon Kaseke, Elisha Gejo, Shacky Tauro (later nicknamed “Mr Goals”), Peter “Petso” Augustinho, Oliver “Ollie” Chidemo and Charles “Gura” Mtetwa. 

Upon the advent of the 80s decade, with some of those stars having hung up their boots, a new breed of young players arrived on the scene from both sides to keep the Derby’s heartbeat pumping. 

DeMbare paraded an array of exciting talent in the form of ‘keeper Japhet “Shortcat’’ M’parutsa, Edward “Major Murefu” Muchongwe, midfielders Hamid “Muzukuru” Dhana, David “Yogi” Mandigora (who had cut his teeth under the guidance of Shaya in the late 70s), Moses “Razorman” Chunga and his elder brother Kembo, Kenneth “Computer” Jere, Max “Scara” Makanza and Edward “Madhobha” Katsvere. 

Makepekepe had an equally shining cast that had ‘keepers Brenna “Campos” Msiska and Duncan “Zico” Ellison, the inimitable midfield pair of Stanford “Stix” Mutizwa and Joel “Jubilee” Shambo, a mesmersisng and flying wing wizard named Stanley “Sinyo” Ndunduma, Charlie “Kabhasikoro” Jones and a new arrival to partner “Mr Goals” — Friday “Breakdown” Phiri. 

The Glamour Boys had called all the shots since that first tie but now the tide had changed and in that 80s era, most of the bragging rights were transported to Manchester Road (by CAPS United) where the team’s headquarters were then housed. 

The 90s arrived with the Derby still ruling the roost in the capital. One could always feel the excitement and rush of adrenalin — not only amongst the players who would fiercely fight for a place in the starting line-up for weeks before an upcoming tie — but even the fans would be involved in their own tug-of-war of words and boasts of who was the greatest? 

Those 90s squads had the likes of Peter “Chops” Fanwell, Angirayi “Durawall” Chapo, Stanley “Samora” Chirambadare, Tauya “Flying Doctor” Murehwa, Memory “Mwendamberi” Mucherahohwa, Callisto “Manabhunu” Pasuwa, Lloyd “Samaita” Mutasa, Vitalis “Digital” Takawira and his elder brother Claudius “Hokoyo” Zviripayi for DeMbare. 

Makepekepe had an awesome line-up that would go on to snacth the league title from their adversaries in 1996. The line-up included the likes of skipper Silver ‘’Bhonzo” Chigwenje, ‘keeper George “Darling” Mudiwa, Morgan “Mogiza” Nkhathazo, Farayi ‘’Mr Perfect’’ Mbidzo, Basil “Sipo” Chisopo, Lloyd “Lodza” Chitembwe, Edelbert “Phil Collins” Dinha, Alois “Criss Cross” Bunjira and Stewart “Shutto” Murisa. 

Upon the turn of the of the new millennium, there was still nothing locally to compare to a clash featuring the capital’s Big Two. 

Both sets of fans would marvel at the exploits of brilliant artists like Energy “Gokwe” Murambadoro, Ashley “Compressor” Rambanapasi, David “Dhivha” Sengu, Raymond “Left Hand Drive” Undi, Silent Katumba, Nyasha “Shaqui” Mushekwi and Malawian waltzing kid, Joseph Kamwendo (CAPS United). 

The blue half of the capital would sing themselves hoarse in praise of George “Mupurisa” Mandizvidza, Norman “Lumumba” Maroto, Tonderai “Stanza” Ndiraya, Desmond “Gazza” Maringwa, Ronald “Gidiza” Sibanda, Agent “Ajira” Sawu and Murape “Monya for Hire” Murape.

And, oh, by the the way, there was a highly skilful wing-back who featured for both sides during those early 2000s called Cephas “Mboma” Chimedza. 

And then out of the blue, the gradual slide in the class, valour and style that had gripped the capital like a vice for over four decades appeared. 

Save for a few moments of brilliance from the likes of Washington “Sekuru Gudo” Arubi, Thomas “Rambo” Sweswe and Denver “Mundikumbuke” Mukamba (Dynamos); and Tapiwa “Taps” Kumbuyani, Hardlife “Nairobi” Zvirekwi, Ronald “MaRho” Pfumbidzai and “King of the Harare Derby” — Oscar “Mahindra” Machapa — who featured for both sides and delivered some stupendous finishes for both rivals, the blood’s flow in the Derby’s arteries slowed down to a trickle. 

So what went wrong in the past decade or so? 

Speaking on ZBC-TV’s magazine programme, “Game Plan”, earlier this week, two former greats of the Derby, Murape (Dynamos) and Bunjira (CAPS United) both attributed to the lack of a vibrant, development policy at both sides as one of the main reasons for the apparent decline in standards of the capital’s show-piece. 

“For example, I joined De Mbare when I was 12 and grew up within the institution and learnt all the values and principles of what was required there,” said Murape. 

“Nowadays, players are signed from all over the country, from around the ages of 19 or even more and I think this doesn’t augur well for their mutual understanding and benefit because they will be coming from diverse backgrounds, and it will take time for some of them to understand the clubs’ institutional processes,” he emphasised. 

Bunjira also felt that the legends who made the Derby a classic from both sides were seemingly being shunned by both clubs’ hierarchies at training sessions, denied entry into stadiums thereby denying the current youngsters playing at the clubs to rub shoulders with them and really learn what these clubs’ values are from these legends.

“When I joined Makepekepe, I used to rub shoulders, learnt and identified with greats like Tauro, Shambo, Phiri and more and it helped me into becoming an accomplished player. This also made me be proud of wearing that green and white jersey and spurred me on every time we played Dynamos,” he revealed. 

But long-standing DeMbare fan, Amos Mupindu, pulled no punches when he vehemently claimed that the Harare Derby simply had no more talented players like these of yesteryear stalwarts to make it attractive anymore. 

“Show me a player who obsesses even a fraction of the skills of greats like Shaya, Chunga, Takawira, Shambo, Mutizwa or Chitembwe,” he queried. 

So the gauntlet being thrown by both the DeMbare and Makepekepe fans to their players who will be on show on Sunday, like Partson “Minister of Defence” Jaure, Frank “Tollgate” Makarati, Trevor “Yaya” Mavunga, Godknows “Zizou” Murwira (Dynamos) and Phineas “BaTino” Bhamusi, Rodwell “Amla” Chinyengetere and Tonderi “Hwiza” Mateyaunga (CAPS United) is: Please rekindle for us the days of Shaya, Chunga, Katsvere, Mandigora, Murehwa, Mpariwa,Takawira, Shambo, Mutizwa, Chitembwe, Tauro, Bunjira, Murisa and Mushekwi.