Kalisto Pasuwa

He achieved the same feat with Nyasa Big Bullets when he won the 2022 Malawi Super League championship. Pasuwa also won the Malawian FA Cup trophy during the 2022 season as well as the pre-season Charity Shield.

Background

Kalisto Pasuwa Pasuwa (referred to as Callisto in certain sections of the media) was born on 20 June 1970 in Mutare. He attended Mutare Boys High where he finished in 1990. Pasuwa is married.

Illegal Occupation Of Land

On 15 March 2018, Kalisto Pasuwa was convicted and fined $150 by a Chitungwiza court for illegally occupying land in Rubatika Village, Seke.

Pasuwa pleaded not guilty when he appeared before Chitungwiza magistrate Ms Yeukai Chigodora but was convicted because of the overwhelming evidence against him.

He was asked to pay a $150 fine or spend 30 days in prison. Pasuwa claimed that he bought the land through a chief, but his name was not found in the council’s database.

Prosecutor Mr Norman Koropi proved that on November 8 2017, Manyame Rural District (RDC)’s security sergeant Mr Emmanuel Watyoka was conducting assessments in Rubatika Village, Seke communal lands when he visited Pasuwa’s home.

He asked Kalisto Pasuwa to produce an allocation letter or any approval that justified his occupation of the land.

When Pasuwa failed to produce the documents, Mr Watyoka made a report at Dema Police Station, leading to his arrest.^[1]

Playing career

Club

Pasuwa is a former Dynamos player. He was part of the history making Dembare outfit that played in the African Champions league. He also won several league titles with the club. He also played alongside other Dembare legends such as Memory Mucherahowa, Stewart Murisa and Tauya Murehwa. During his playing days, Kalisto Pasuwa was known for his midfield artistry and dribbling skills. He was also known for scoring goals occasionally.

Coaching career

Club

While Pasuwa was the coach at Dembare he also doubled as the national team assistant coach. It was however at Dembare that Pasuwa carved his name in the country's history books when he won four consecutive league titles. Many had expressed scepticism over Pasuwa's capacity to coach a well-decorated outfit such as Dynamos after having taken over from Lloyd Mutasa whom he had been deputising. Kalisto Pasuwa silenced his critics with four deserved league titles on the trot including other trophies such as the Mbada Diamonds Cup, Gushungo Victory Cup and the Bob 90 Cup.^[2] During his successful stint at Dynamos, Pasuwa won 12 trophies which include four league titles, a record only him holds.

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National Team

Pasuwa's coaching career with the national team both the under-23 and the senior side was nothing short of exceptional.

Despite a series of poor training facilities and planning on the part of ZIFA, Pasuwa has produced very impressive results.

In an AFCON 2016 qualifier played against the flames of Malawi, the team travelled by bus after having trained as a unit for only a day but managed to upset Malawi 2-1 on their home turf.

He also followed the triumph of Malawi with another victory at Rufaro stadium against the Comoros Islands in a CHAN qualifier.

Pasuwa's appointment as senior national team coach had been after he had secured the qualification of the under-23 side to play in the All Africa Games after dispatching continental powerhouses, Cameroon.^[3]

Following a series of broken promises by ZIFA to Kalisto Pasuwa, he walked away from his job in mid-2015 just days before a crucial match with South Africa effectively throwing the country's hopes of partaking in the Olympics into doubt.^[4]

Despite ZIFA getting money amounting to US$1 million, they had not paid Pasuwa a cent, resulting in the coach quitting his job at the eleventh hour.

Nyasa Big Bullets

Pasuwa won four successive league titles after he arrived at Nyasa Big Bullets at the end of the 2018 season.^[5]

National Football Coaches Association (NFCA)

In June 2021, Kalisto Pasuwa was added to the National Football Coaches Association (NFCA), becoming one of the first two foreign mentors to join the Malawian coaches’ body.

He was roped into the fold along with Zambian Dan Kabwe who coaches Silver Strikers.^[6]

Awards

• 2023 TNM Malawian Super League Coach of the Year
• 2022 TNM Malawian Super League Coach of the Year
• 2019 TNM Super League Winners Medal (with Nyasa Big Bullets - Malawi)
• 2018 TNM Super League Winners Medal (with Nyasa Big Bullets - Malawi)
• 2011 Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League Winners Medal
• 2012 Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League Winners Medal
• 2013 Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League Winners Medal
• 2014 Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League Winners Medal
• 2012 Coach of the Year
• Mbada Diamonds Cup
• Bob @ 89 Challenge Cup

^[7]

Near Exit at Dembare

In 2013, Kalisto Pasuwa came under fire from Dynamos chairperson Kenny Mubaiwa after a string of poor results. During the early stages of the 2013 season, Pasuwa's charges lost the opening four games.^[8][9] He however managed to get Dembare's campaign on track after which he went on to win a fourth title. Despite landing a fourth titile, relations between Pasuwa and the Dembare executive remained frosty.

Unceremonious Departure

Regardless of Pasuwa's triumphs at the helm of Dembare, his exit from the club was very unceremonious considering that he had won four consecutive league titles in succession.

He was informed by the Dembare executive that if he wanted to remain as coach of the club, he would have to apply like any other coach intending to coach Dembare.

After he walked away from the club, Kalisto Pasuwa sued his former paymasters for unpaid dues.

There had also been accusations from Dembare leaders alleging that Pasuwa had walked away with their property and that they did not owe him money but the court ruled that the club was supposed to pay Pasuwa money amounting to USD $19 000.^[10]

References