Mwamba finds footing in European football
Calistus Kolantsho | Monday March 16, 2026 06:00
Mwamba, the grandchild to Botswana's second president, the late Sir Ketumile Masire, is now based in London, where he is in charge of Juventus Academy London. It has been a steady rise to the top for Mwamba, who started as a basketball player at Westwood International School in Gaborone in 2002. “I was the best basketball player in my year and was used to being picked first in sport. One day during Physical Education (PE) lesson, we played football, and for the first time, I found myself being picked last. That moment stuck with me,” he explained his shift to football. Mwamba told MmegiSport he decided to start working hard to become the first pick in football. He joined the school team and dedicated himself to improving.
Over time he realised that his strengths were not necessarily as a player but in understanding the game, thinking about tactics and helping organise the team. “Later, when I discovered the game, I saw people like José Mourinho on the touchline at Chelsea FC. I realised management was my real career,” Mwamba said.
“That was the moment everything clicked for me. I understood I might never become the greatest player, but there are no limits to becoming a great football manager. That is where this journey truly began.”
Mwamba revealed that early in his career he understood the power of brands and environments. “If you want to operate at an elite level, you have to place yourself in elite systems,” he said. Mwamba added that he deliberately worked at top institutions like Barclays Bank, Ernst &Young, and McKinsey & Company because of their high standards. “I applied the same thinking to football. I knew that to compete in a space where many coaches are former elite players, I needed to learn inside top football institutions. “That is how I joined the coach development pathway at Arsenal FC, which was an incredible learning environment and really taught me how to coach,” Mwamba explained.
He will then leverage the experience to move into his role at Juventus Academy London. According to Mwamba, the move into the European setups has been intentional.
He said it was about placing himself in elite environments so that he can learn at the highest level and build the foundations to eventually manage at the top of the game.
“Unfortunately, up until last year, my career was entirely in finance, so I never managed to work in development set-ups in Africa or even work in Africa, as my entire career has been in the United Kingdom (UK). “However, I am from Botswana and keep in touch with friends and local coaches like Peter Keledi, to learn more about the local set-ups,” he said. When asked how countries like Botswana can benefit from his expertise, Mwamba explained that he was not making an employment pitch to the Botswana Football Association (BFA). Mwamba said the exposure he has with European football environments could be useful. “Through working in development structures connected to clubs like Arsenal and Juventus Academy London, I have seen how structured player development systems operate. One of the biggest differences is not talent, things like coaching education, talent, things like coaching education, training methodology, and clear pathways for young players,” he said. Mwamba said countries like Botswana already have talented players. “Where I think people with international exposure can contribute is by sharing ideas, helping strengthen development structures, and ensuring young players are given the best possible environment to reach their potential,” he added.
Following the move to send seven Botswana coaches to Manchester United for international benchmarking and elite training, Mwamba said this was a great initiative that is fundamental to coach development. “Programmes like this already exist in England through initiatives such as the Premier League Coach Index, where coaches from across the UK visit elite clubs to observe coaching sessions and learn best practices,” Mwamba said.