Fungai Muderere
IT can be hard for footballers to deal with retirement, but some former players have at least got to continue living their dream through their sons.
The son of the late ex-Highlanders and Railstars midfield maestro Charles “Chief” Chilufya, Moffat Sanje Chilufya is dreaming of being a professional football player and follow in his father’s footsteps.
Moffat, a former Greenfield Primary School and Hamilton High School, pupil in Bulawayo, does duty for Tshabalala-based social football club 70 Combination, a club that has ex Highlanders coach Mandla “Lulu” Mpofu as its director. Despite now aged 30, he still believes he can turn professional.
“I was born in Zambia and I grew up in Ndola before I came to Zimbabwe to live with my parents. My father is Charles Chilufya and my mother is Christine Sanje (all Zambians). Unfortunately, my mother passed on only three months back in Zambia. It’s known that my late father was a great football player. I miss my father. He was a football hero in Zimbabwe. He always told me that when I grew up I should emulate him. I wish to follow in his footsteps and I’m keeping my fingers crossed to get a professional club,” said Moffat.
The attacking player, who previously played for the now defunct Victoria Falls-based Saupalo under the tutelage of the now Highlanders first assistant coach Try Ncube added: “It’s always good to hear about his good footballing stories and I wish he was still alive for him to keep on inspiring me as I still wish to turn professional. I think age is still on my side and I will keep on pushing hard.”
Moffat is married to Estery Memory Lungu and the couple is blessed with a baby boy named Kelvin. His late father who also did duty for Hwange, and played for Bosso under the late Eddie May, combined well with the likes of Zenzo “Zemura” Moyo, Siza Khoza, Thabani “Mqwayi” Masawi and Joel “Dubai” Luphahla, among others.
The late talented Zambian midfielder died on September 29, 2019, after serving the Zimbabwean football fraternity with great honour and pride winning every domestic competition with the Bulawayo football.
Moffat Chilufya
