Mungu's swift and spectacular rise
Chakalisa Dube | Friday February 12, 2021 14:38
Since debuting for Great North Tigers (GNT) in the Debswana First Division North in the 2018-2019 season, Mungu’s rise in the local football circles has been swift and spectacular. Following his GNT debut, the attacking midfielder immediately started attracting a handful of glances from Premier League teams. Just after one season at GNT, he was snapped by TAFIC in the 2020-2021 season, before a step up with a move to Orapa United where he recently signed a two-year deal.
“I was initially approached by Miscellaneous while they were still in the Premier League but I thought TAFIC, who had just won promotion, offered me a suitable platform to establish myself in the Premier League. I joined TAFIC because I also wanted to be closer to home because the offer from Miscellaneous was not enough to enable me to be far from home,” the lad from Gerald Estates said.
Before joining TAFIC, the 23-year-old had to deal with the heartbreak of losing out on an opportunity to sign for Police XI after a trial stint. For years, GNT has been functioning as a feeder team to Police XI. He was deemed not good enough.
Despite TAFIC’s poor performance last season, Mungu fared well in the middle of the park and was often lauded for his competitiveness and creativity. He featured in almost all TAFIC matches until the season was ended prematurely as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Owing to the Botswana Football Association’s decision to end the season early, TAFIC were relegated to the First Division.
But Mungu knew that opportunities would come knocking after his telling performances for TAFIC. “It did not come as a surprise to me when Orapa invited me for assessment in December. I knew that they were one of the clubs that had been tracking me. I spent a week in Orapa before I went for my Christmas break,” he said.
Mungu received a call last month from the mining side to sign a two-year deal.
“Clubs such as Jwaneng Galaxy, Morupule Wanderers and Extension Gunners were interested in my services, but in the end I opted for Orapa.
I am more hungry for growth and I believe the set up in Orapa will help me achieve that. The club has a history of winning trophies and I remain very optimistic that I will win some silverware here,” he said.
Mungu credits former Zebras defender, Ndiyapo Letsholathebe for his rise to stardom. He worked with Letsholathebe at GNT.
“Ndiyapo taught me a lot of basics. Without basics, I would have had difficulty adjusting to the demands of the Premier League. He also taught me the importance of discipline in football. To this day, I still go to him when I need any advice. I treat him like a parent. He is the one who recommended me to Police XI for trials,” Mungu said.
He added that he would also be forever grateful to former GNT coach, Edward Leposo, for allowing him to play football at an organised level. Mungu attracted the attention of Leposo having been invited for training by a friend. Before joining GNT, Mungu was a well-known constituency league player in Francistown.
Leposo was sacked by GNT a few months after signing Mungu, with Letsholathebe replacing him.
“I am also very fortunate that the coaches I worked with at TAFIC were also good and put a strong emphasis on one mastering the basics and discipline,” he said.
Apart from cementing his credentials in the elite league, Mungu also dreams of playing for the Zebras. “When I was playing for Untouchables in the constituency league at Gerald Estates, I never thought that one day I will get an opportunity to play in the Premier League. Now I believe that anything is possible. I believe that if I work hard and remain focussed I will get a chance to play for the national team. Playing abroad is also a dream I will always keep alive,” he said.
Orapa United mentor, Mogomotsi Mpote has predicted a brighter future for Mungu. “Mungu is a brilliant player. The only challenge for him is that he has not been through proper development structures. There are some aspects of his game that I believe he should work on to be a complete player. For example, he has to learn to be a team player.”
“He will add value in our midfield. He is a very creative player who has the ability to make the team play.
He also has an eye for goal. Mungu is also a good passer of the ball. I want to build the team around him. What I like about him is that he is so passionate about learning.”