More Malawians trek to Zimbabwe PSL: Chaziya joins Simba Bhora

The traffic of Malawian footballers lured by the United States dollar in the Zimbabwe Castle Lager Premier Soccer League (PSL) keeps soaring.

Former Mighty Wanderers sweeper Lawrence Chaziya has become the latest Malawian to secure a job with Simba Bhora FC in Zimbabwe. The former Flames defender is now the ninth Malawian in the Zimbabwe league. Since last season, some 11 Malawians have signed for the Castle Lager PSL outfits. Two have since been released.

Chaziya has signed a contract with Simba Bhora barely three days after parting ways with Wanderers who he captained to the 2025 Super League title for the first time since 2017.

Despite being the captain, the 27-year-old watched proceedings from the substitutes bench last season.

He has joined other Malawians in the Zimbabwe league, including goalkeeper William Thole (Simba Bhora), Lloyd Njaliwa and Chawanangwa Kaonga (CAPS United), Nixon Nyasulu, Precious Phiri, Maxwell Paipi (FC Platinum), Gomezgani Chirwa (Ngezi Platinum) and Mark Fodya (Manica Diamonds).

What’s luring Malawians to Zimbabwe?

Malawian striker Vincent Nyangulu, who has since been released by FC Platinum after just a season, told The Nation newspaper that clubs in Zimbabwe offer better incentives.

The former Wanderers forward disclosed that FC Platinum offered him an equivalent of USD 15,600 (27 million Malawi Kwacha (MK) as signing-on fee and USD 3, 460 (MK6 million) as salary .

Nyangulu said the salary was “far more than what our clubs here offer. In Malawi my highest salary was USD277 (MK480 000) and you can see that there is a big difference”.

Nyangulu said when he left Malawi, each player was earning USD 43 (MK75 000) game bonus at Wanderers while at FC Platinum it was pegged at USD1,400 (MK2.5 million) each.

He added that in Zimbabwe, the signing-on fee is paid once unlike in Malawi.

Meanwhile, the going is becoming tough for some Malawian players, including Nyangulu, veteran forward Atusaye Nyondo and Khuda Muyaba in Zimbabwe. Nyondo and Muyaba have been released by Highlanders FC and Scottland FC. This proves that competition in the Zimbabwe league is becoming stiff, with only the best surviving.