Chinotimba caught playing soccer

ON the same Sunday that Lionel Messi and the rest of his La Albiceleste crew were shedding tears following their World Cup defeat to Germany, Buhera South Member of Parliament Joseph Chinotimba and his troops were partaking in a related business at the Victoria Falls Power Station Sports Club in Livingstone, Zambia.

Only there was no silverware at stake in the latter activity, but just a social sporting interaction with colleague members of the Zambian House of Assembly in a "derby" that saw multitudes of fans coming to witness what makes the likes of Chinoz tick on the field of play.

True to the adage "all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy," legislators from either side of the Zambezi saw the need to organise a social soccer match where Chinoz proved there is not one, but two sides to his dazzling personality.

The first, of-course, is the active debater who, of late, has proven one can still make their point heard in their mother tongue in the House while putting across to the floor some very powerful arguments.

The second - and certainly not the least - is Joseph Chinotimba the athlete who possesses a very soft spot for sport, football in particular.

Directing operations from the middle of the park, the former municipal police boss-turned-politician ensured his side got the better of their opposite number by a 2-0 goal margin. He was responsible for setting up the scorer of one of the goals but cannot, due to the pressing business on the pitch, recall which one from the top of his head.

"Ehunde-e, tainge tayambuka rukova Zambezi, uko takanotashurana nehama dzedu dzedare reko. Haiwa, zvakafamba zvakanaka chose sekutika isu hatina kumboita zvekutamba nenguva. Takaita zvekubanhira bhora mugedhe, izvo zviya zvegore riya pasarudzo.

Chinotimba, however, bemoaned the lack of publicity of "such a high-profile event" in the Zimbabwean media, which sector he says was conspicuous by its absence at Livingstone.

"Zvokwadi kushaya kana nomunyori mumwechete zvake akadai (raising a finger) wemuno akauya kuzoona nokuripota zvidavado zvainge zvakaisvonaka kudaro?

"Zvino imi mungati bhora racho tinorisimudza sei kana wokwako achikona kukutsigira paunenge wagonawo? Ko kana takakonewa kumaWarriors ngatichibatanaka kusimudzira iko kwacho kwatadadisa?

"Ugoona kuwanda kwainga kwakaita majenarisit eko. Zvokwadi takashaya pekunyarira sekuti painga pasina wekweduwo anotipembedzawo.

"In fact, takasara tosvika isu bhora ratonyorwa mumapepa kare, ende futi muground vanga vakati svi-i, vachiripota bhora iroro. Pakadii ipapo? Zvotoda kuti nguva inotevera titohaya wokuenda naye.

The legislator hailed the organisation of such events, which he said afforded politicians like him the opportunity to socialise and learn from others in the same occupation in the region. It also fostered better relations among MPs from across the political divide, he said.

Stephen Kampyongo, the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs who captained the Zambian team, was not impressed by the defeat at the hands of their Zimbabwean counterparts, citing lack of focus as being contributory to the drabbing.

"It was just basically underrating the team, underrating our opponents before we could even know how they play.

We have learnt lessons that when we have a game like this we need to be focused," he said.

His team-mate who is also the Southern Province Minister, Daniel Munkombwe, weighed in: "We were just careless.

All the same, we are neighbours and it is balanced in that our ladies beat them." The Zim ladies' team lost 3-5 in a netball contest played on the same card.

But an optimistic Speaker of the Zambia National Assembly, Patrick Matibini, assured his heartbroken side that they will definitely reverse the result when the two sides meet on the Zimbabwean side for the reverse fixture to be held on a date to be advised.

"The games are good for cementing the bilateral relationships between the two countries and more particularly the two parliaments," he said.

Trevor Saruwaka, the MP for Mutasa Central Constituency who was the captain of the Zimbabwean side, said he looked forward to a time when the entire SADC region would host a sports tournament for Members of Parliament.

Last weekend was just but yet another sports event the infamous Chinoz has been a part of.

As president of the Zimbabwe Federation of Trade Unions in 2012, he once put together a big soccer match at Barbourfields Stadium in Bulawayo, featuring Dynamos and Highlanders in commemorations.

And in December last year, he was a special guest at the Annual National Sports Awards (ANSA) where he presented a number of shields and trophies, including the Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year Awards, then won by Sensei Samson Muripo and Cara Black respectively.