Maybe it's the beginning of the end for one of the country's most successful football clubs Dynamos.
The once-imposing Rufaro Stadium, a concrete giant that has witnessed decades of blue and white cheers and ecstatic celebrations, now stands with a noticeable emptiness.
It is a sobering testament that the unwavering loyalty of Dynamos Football Club "MaDembare," has visibly withdrawn.
The echoes of past glories, of championship-winning goals and legendary players like Agent Sawu, Memory Mucherahowa, Moses Chunga and others now seem to bounce off vacant seats, a poignant reminder of a bygone era.
The giant club last won the league title in 2014 with the all-conquering squad that was assembled by the legendary Kalisto Pasuwa, who won four league titles consecutively from 2011 to 2014.
In years gone by, Rufaro Stadium would thump with energy hours before kickoff, the vibrant atmosphere was always pregnant with anticipation, the Mbare Musika bus terminus’s lively embroidery of blue and white jerseys and hopeful chatter is now a thing of the past.
The vibrant textile has worn out. The once-deafening roar has softened to a whisper.
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Since colonial times, DeMbare supporters have played a vital role in motivating their teams to win and intimidating the opponents with their thunderous jeers and whistles.
Observations done by StandardSport during Dynamos’ home game against rivals Chicken inn FC last Sunday painted a bleak picture.
The "Vietnam end" at Rufaro Stadium, a specific section of the stadium primarily occupied by Dynamos Football Club supporters, remained stubbornly bare, so much so that the gate-taking masters, accustomed to managing supporters, found it sufficient to open only the 1 VIP entrance.
The other gates, silent and unused, stood as grim sentinels of a club in decline.
The once-invincible DeMbare have been a shadow of their former selves for several seasons now.
"It breaks my heart to see this," lamented Baba Nyasha, a lifelong supporter whose weathered face bore the permanent marks of countless matches witnessed from the terraces.
"We used to come here with my father years ago and during those days one could not afford to miss Dynamos playing in Rufaro Stadium, but it’s like a social soccer club with very few supporters,” the disgruntled Dynamos supporter told StandardSport.
The sentiment is echoed by many. Social media debates and fan discussion groups are filled with a mixture of anger, disappointment, and a desperate longing for the glory days. The connection between the team and its supporters, once unbreakable, has become strained by consistent underperformance.
"We understand that every team goes through tough patches but this has been going on for too long for a big team like Dynamos.
“We need results and we can sacrifice our hard-earned money to fill Rufaro Stadium when Dynamos is playing," Mai Tendai, a passionate supporter, said.
The empty seats are a tangible manifestation of disappointments.
They are a silent protest, a visual representation of broken promises and shattered expectations.
The absence of the enthusiastic support, ironically, seems to further exacerbate the team's struggles on the pitch, creating a vicious cycle of decline.
Dynamos Supporters Association Harare Chapter chairman Kudakwashe Machekera, popularly known as Kaymaster, said the country’s economic situation had contributed to the decline of supporters at Rufaro Stadium.
He, however, expressed concern over the team’s performance and cited it as as one of the factors causing the decline in the attendance by Dynamos fans.
“A lot of things have contributed to this low turnout, but the financial status of the country is not allowing people to have some extra money to pay to watch football,” Machekera said.
“ The team's performance as well is also contributing to the decline of the supporters coming to Rufaro stadium, people always follow results and it’s a fact.
"Of late the results are not coming as expected by the Dynamos fans. We only have one win since we started the season, three draws and we lost two games.
“We are not that bad as such but dynamos are a big club so people expect good results.
“We are even affected by the injuries, so let’s wait for the results considering this is a new team. I believe the results will come.”
Just like any other stadium, Rufaro needs maintenance to meet the Premier Soccer League standards and the gate takings remain very crucial for the City of Harare to maintain the facility.
Council spokesperson Stanley Gama said that they work with what was available at the moment and they have been managing to maintain the stadium well.
Gama, however, highlighted that the city council wants to improve the stadium in many areas and that is why they entered into an agreement with Scottland Football Club.
Just like Dynamos, Highlanders has not been performing to its expected standards for the past few years but Bosso fans are frequently mentioned to have filled Barbourfields (BF) stadium, suggesting strong support and loyalty for the team.
The club launched initiatives like "Operation Fill Up BF" to encourage fan attendance and create a strong home atmosphere.
Dynamos Football Club management faces a monumental task. There is a need to rebuild the team, instil a winning mentality, and reconnect with the disappointed fan base.
Rufaro Stadium, for so long a symbol of victory and unity, now stands as a stark reminder of the fragility of sporting success and the profound connection between a club and its supporters.
The silence that now often floods its stands is a deafening call for change, a desperate plea for the return of the roar, the passion, and the glory that once defined DeMbare.
