Bamala, Makwanda reflect on refereeing career

Zimpapers Sports Hub

Zimpapers Sports Hub

VETERAN referees Thabani Bamala and Jimmy Makwanda feel they still have a lot to offer to football after officially leaving the stage at the close of the 2024 Premiership season.

Boasting 406 top-flight games between themselves, the duo retired upon reaching 45 as per requirements on the final day of the term last month.

Bamala bid farewell in a dreamlike manner at one of the venues that he will always cherish, Barbourfields Stadium, where Highlanders and Yadah drew 1-1 with Golden Boot winner Lynoth Chikuhwa of Bosso, who all but secured his prize when netting his 17th goal of the season.

On the other hand, Makwanda was the centre-man at GreenFuel Arena, where the home team, GreenFuel, beat Dynamos 2-1 to seal a historic feat for themselves by becoming the only team in the league to finish the year without tasting defeat at home.

And those two games, given their appeal, were an ideal way to cap off some distinguished journeys at the centre for the pair.

Bamala was even honoured in his hometown of Kwekwe when he had a match featuring a well-known side in the mineral-rich Midlands city of Newcastle, and Bamala’s Best 11, picked across the town, which the lanky referee officiated, was put together to celebrate his long career.

And both Bamala and Makwanda say they will always play some role in the development of the game in the country.

“It’s the end of a page and the start of another chapter,” Bamala said.

“My football journey began a long time ago, and the game has been part of me for the rest of my life. I will continue playing some role, certainly.”

One of the most firm characters at the centre, Bamala started his passion back in 1999 and was promoted to Class Two five years later, where he performed well to earn another notch-up in 2007 before he was put on the ZIFA and subsequently FIFA panels in 2010 and 2011, respectively.

As well as officiating 230 Premiership games, Bamala also has 21 Division 4, 105 Division 3, 162 Division 2, and 124 Division 1 games under his belt.

The veteran official whose memories of the Dynamos versus Highlanders match at a filled-up Barbourfields in 2013 in which he red-carded a Dynamos player and also awarded DeMbare a penalty two minutes before time will always be fonder; he also handled 16 continental matches on top of many Nash, Naph, and tertiary games.

Makwanda, on the other hand, says he will continue officiating games at the school level since he is a teacher.

“I actually joined refereeing for two reasons in the first place. I had the passion, and I also wanted to improve refereeing standards in schools,” he said.

“I started back in 2002 with my promotion to Class 3 coming the year after; then I was moved to Class 2 in 2005 and Class 1 three years later. “In 2012 I was put on the ZIFA panel, and I have enjoyed my stint.

“I am walking off the trenches, but football will remain in my blood, and I will continue playing some roles for the game.”