Clement Masauso Kamwando
Clement Masauso Kamwando is a former Zimbabwean footballer who played for Zimbabwe Saints Football Club juniors and Mashonaland FC in the 1960s.
Background
Clement Masauso Kamwando was born in 1954. He is married to Cathrine Ndlovu. They have one child, Henrieta. He did his primary education at St Columbu’s Mission. For secondary education he went to Mzilikazi High School (a secondary school then). His team (Mashonaland United) used to camp at a house in Mzilikazi E square in Bulawayo. He supports Highlanders Football Club.
Career
Masauso’s career began in the dusty streets of Makokoba in 1966. During that year he joined Mashonaland FC Under-14 and rose through the ranks to break into the senior team. His determination and authority in the middle of the park convinced coaches to include him in Under-16 Castle Cup final against Salisbury Callies.
“Although we played well our team was beaten 2-1 by Salisbury Callies,” he recalls.
He broke into the first team when he was 19 years old. His undoubted ball distribution coupled with flair in thwarting opposition earned him a place in the senior squad. Some of the players that he found in the senior team are Patrick Kashure, Milton Mbedzi, Jenkings Pasipanodya, Jimmy Sibanda and Pharoah Jele. He made his debut against Highlanders Football Club and hit the ground running.
“My first match was a derby against Highlanders and it was tough. But I managed to stamp my authority in the midfield department and after that I became a regular in the first team,” he said.
One of the notable milestones in Masauso’s career was his selection, at the age of 21, into the Rhodesian National Football team.
“Although I did not play in any of the matches in national team colours, to me being part of the national team squad was an achievement,” he says.
His love for Zimbabwe Saints Football Club enticed him to join the side but despite being the captain for Chauya Chikwata developmental side he failed to break into the senior team. He bemoaned the chance he was denied by the coaching staff then at Zimbabwe Saints to display his talent for the team he loved. The die-hard Chauya Chikwata supporters used to watch the team’s training sessions, as such some supporters were convinced with his displays and recommended him to the coaches. But Ebson Muguyo and his lieutenants stood their ground and shut him out of the senior squad.
Masauso then left and joined a Division One outfit Red Seal FC. He had a sweet relationship with the side and called shots in the middle of the park. After spending half a season with the side he called time on his career. In no time he secured a job as a fireman with National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ). He spent 29 years with the company. While he was still with NRZ now based at Hwange, he joined hands with former Highlanders FC defender Nehemiah Dube and formed a social football club team.
Appreciating other players
He holds the following players in high esteem; Tymon Mabaleka who used to make the ball stick to his chest as if there was a magnet attracting it; Barry Daka who could chip the ball into a hat worn by a decoy during training sessions, 1985 Soccer Star of the Year Stanley Ndunduma and five-time Rhodesian Soccer Star of the Year George Shaya. He won it in 1969, 1972, 1975, 1976 and 1977.[1]
