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Tadious Manyepo Sports Reporter
MOSES CHUNGA, the coach who gave Nyasha Mushekwi his professional breakthrough, says he wasn’t surprised by the striker’s decision to buy a luxurious 45-seater bus for CAPS United.

The bus was unveiled at a glitzy function held in the shadows of the National Sports Stadium on Tuesday.
Mushekwi is believed to have spent in excess of US$200 000 to finally get the bus home and present it to the CAPS United family.

The former Warriors forward chose not to attend the unveiling ceremony, telling The Herald he feared he would choke under the emotions.

Crucially, said Mushekwi, he didn’t want the occasion to be about him but to be about the Green Machine family.
‘‘If I had come there, everyone would be wanting to talk to me, the cameras would be on me and not the bus and I thought that wasn’t right,’’ he said.

‘‘This wasn’t about me, but about God delivering something special to my old club and it was good that I wasn’t there when the bus was presented.

‘‘But my family was there, my sister was there, she represented me well, and my brothers and grandmother were also there.’’
Chunga was the Green Machine coach when Mushekwi arrived as a raw footballer after having switched from playing basketball.

The China-based striker singled out Chunga for special praise in a speech where the bus was unveiled.
‘‘Firstly, I would like to thank God for this amazing gift that he has given to my old team CAPS United,’’ said Mushekwi in a speech read, on his behalf, by his sister Nyari.

‘‘I am at a loss for words on how grateful I am for this wonderful gift to my team.
I would like to thank the CAPS United president, Mr Farai Jere, for the risk he took when I first walked into his office, thinking about it now today, we couldn’t see what the future was holding.

‘‘I am grateful to God for the opportunity he gave me.
‘‘I would also like to thank my coach, Moses Chunga, for spotting me when I was just coming from basketball, it’s an amazing story, he took a risk that most coaches wouldn’t but he did it and gambled on me.
‘‘And, today, I am what I am because of the opportunity he gave me.

‘‘I am grateful to him and I owe it to him for everything that is happening in my life till today and I thank you so much for what you did to me.’’

And, yesterday, Chunga said he was one of the few who were not shocked to learn Mushekwi had acquired a team bus for the Green Machine.

“I know the boy well. He is down-to-earth and, incredibly, humble,’’ said Chunga.
‘‘When he arrived at CAPS United, I saw in him as exactly the type of player I was looking for.
“Maybe, it was because of his basketball background, that is if he played the game, because I don’t know.

‘‘He had the courage to bulldoze his way past defenders.
“If a player comes for trials and gives defenders like Method (Mwanjali) and David (Kutyauripo) a torrid time, you know that you have a very good striker.

“He also had that aerial spike which any coach looks for when trying to find a striker. I liked him instantly.’’
Chunga said Mushekwi was always the person who united the team.

“He was such a good guy, on and off the field. He had that respect, that humility and you could not help but like him,’’ said Chunga.

“In fact, I knew that one of these days, in his career, he would do an admirable thing.
‘‘Look, out of all the players, Mushekwi is the only one who has managed to do such a big thing.
“Some players cannot even give you a phone call but it is different with Mushekwi. We always talk.”

Chunga said the striker always helps him out even though he doesn’t seek publicity for that.
“Yes, I have heard people asking what the striker has done for me,’’ said Chunga.

‘‘I will be the first to raise my hand, he is so much helpful to the extent that if I mention some of the things he has done for me, people will end up saying I am exaggerating facts.
‘‘But he is really a good man.”