For the umpteenth time, Dancehall star Winky D mesmerised his fans on New Year’s Eve, at the Harare International Conference Centre (HICC).
It has become routine that the Kambuzuma-bred maestro ushers his fans into the New Year with a show at HICC, and 2024 was no exception.
The Gaffa, as Winky D is affectionately-known, celebrated 20 years of musical excellence with a concert dubbed ‘Ghettocracy Score’, attended by thousands of his loyal fans, who never miss out on an opportunity to heap praise on the diminutive star.
In the last two decades, Winky D has transformed himself from just a young man from the ghetto passionate about Dancehall music, to an icon who has somewhat given mass-market appeal to the the Zimbabwean version of the genre.
It has been a long journey to stardom for the the muliti-award winning star, who released his first video ‘Rasta Medley’, back in 2006.
That video was released the same year Bulawayo giants Highlanders last won the Premier Soccer League title.
2024 marks exactly 18 years since the Mathembe Ndlovu-led Bosso class of 2006 cruised to the title, finishing a massive 15 points ahead of second-placed and now defunct Motor Action.
More than 20 coaches have tried to end Bosso’s championship drought since 2006, but none has come more closer than Kelvin Kaindu.
The Zambian mentor lost the title to Bosso’s rivals Dynamos on goal difference in consecutive seasons.
In 2012, Bosso finished the season on 69 points —the same as DeMbare, but the latter won the title due to a superior goal difference.
In 2013, the two giants finished the season level on 54 points and DeMbare won the title on goal difference again.
Kaindu is back in the Highlanders dugout, having replaced Brazilian mentor Baltemar Brito, who went on a 19-game unbeaten run last year, but eventually finished 5th —11 points adrift of eventual champions Ngezi Platinum Stars.
Kaindu’s impressive stint in the Tshilamoya dugout before he left in 2014, has reignited hope among the club’s fans, that the championship drought might end soon.
“(Kelvin) Kaindu’s return is good for Highlanders. He loves the club so much having played for and coached it. He will definitely bring back glory days,” reckons Bosso fan Richard Sibanda.
“He was very unfortunate not to win the title, particularly in 2012, but he is a coach who is very much capable of scooping it.
“My plea to the Highlanders executive is; please give Kaindu all the support that he needs. They should get him all the players that he asks for, and I’m sure we can win the title again,” added Sibanda.
Mpumelelo Ndlovu, another Bosso supporter, believes glory days will not return to Amahlolanyama until the executive starts to fully support the coaches.
“If you look at what happened to Brito, it simply tells you of the actual problem at Bosso. The coach (Brito) asked for a striker and specifically named (Obriel) Chirinda but the club’s executive didn’t do anything about it,” said Ndlovu.
“Brito identified the team’s weakness but he lacked support from the board in that regard. So I’m afraid Kaindu might have the same issue, and that is why I’m not confident the we will end the championship drought any time soon, ” added Ndlovu.
A child born in the year Highlanders last won the league title will be of legal drinking age this year —a shocking reality for a club as big as Bosso.
