By Staff Reporter
HARARE — Business mogul Wicknell Chivayo has rewarded and publicly recognised Zimbabwe’s most decorated football coach, Sunday Marimo “Mhofu” Chidzambwa, in a gesture that blends national sporting pride with personal gratitude for a lifetime of service to the game.
In a heartfelt social media tribute, Chivayo hailed Chidzambwa as a “football talisman” whose influence shaped generations of players at both club and national level, before announcing that he had paid in full US$72,000 for a brand-new 2026 Toyota Fortuner 2.4 GD6 4×2, along with an additional US$20,000 in cash.
“There are very few names in Zimbabwean football that have shaped the DNA of this game.
“A man whose calm discipline but military-like precision transformed both Dynamos FC and our national team, the Warriors,” Chivayo wrote.
Chidzambwa, widely known by his nickname Mhofu and affectionately called The General, is regarded as the most successful coach in Zimbabwean football history.
He remains the only coach to have won the domestic league five times, the only one to guide a local club to a CAF Champions League final, and the first to qualify the Warriors for their maiden Africa Cup of Nations finals in 2004.
He also won four of the six COSAFA Cups Zimbabwe has claimed.
Chivayo emphasised that beyond trophies, Chidzambwa’s legacy was rooted in discipline and humility. Quoting one of the coach’s most famous mantras, he said:
“His line, ‘no stars, just structure,’ remains etched in the minds of every player who passed through his hands. He never allowed ego to eclipse teamwork.”
The businessman added a personal touch by noting their shared roots in Chivhu, describing Chidzambwa as “my homeboy,” and said the recognition was long overdue.
“For that patriotic loyalty and a lifetime of football excellence, it is my highest honour to extend my humble gesture of appreciation,” Chivayo wrote.
He also praised the veteran coach’s continued involvement in football-related civic activities, noting that even in retirement Chidzambwa remains active within the Coaches 4ED movement, which Chivayo described as evidence of his patriotism and commitment to national development.
The announcement was met with widespread praise on social media, with fans and former players applauding the recognition of a coach many say “deserves to be recognized for his unmatched national contribution” to Zimbabwean football.
“Congratulations Mhofu, Zimbabwe celebrates you,” Chivayo concluded.
