Tenax Correctional Services Football Club have made no secret of their ambition this season: a return to the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League.
Under new chairman Robson Nyamudakarira, the Prisons and Correctional Officers side believes 2026 could finally be the year they break the Eastern Region jinx.
Nyamudakarira took over at the helm this season after Stefani Masina was elected into the Pacific Storm Eastern Region Soccer League executive committee.
The leadership change has not slowed Tenax’s drive.
If anything, it has sharpened the focus.
“Our ultimate goal is to return to the top flight, and I’m convinced it’s achievable this season,” Nyamudakarira told Fanzone. “We’re working tirelessly on our strategy, team development, and infrastructure to make that happen. We’re hungry for the title. With consistent hard work and strategic recruitment, I’m confident Tenax will break the jinx this season. Our focus is on building a solid team dynamic, and I’m optimistic we’ll bring home the trophy.”
It is a target that looks realistic when you glance at Tenax’s record.
The club was in the Premier League in 2019 before being relegated, but since their establishment ten years prior to their maiden Premier League dance, they have been the Eastern Region’s model of consistency.
Chauya Chikara have averaged a top three finish every season and have made a habit of pushing the eventual champions all the way.
Last season underlined that pedigree under Blessing Madombiro.
They finished as runners-up on 64 points, just three behind winners FC Hunters.
Defensively, they were the benchmark again.
Tenax conceded only 14 goals the entire campaign, the fewest in the league.
It is a feat they have mastered over the years, conceding less than 20 goals per season with regularity.
That defensive steel has become their identity.
But 2026 has not started according to script under Gibson Mutemera who has since taken over the reigns from Madombiro.
Tenax opened their campaign with a frustrating goalless draw against Yadah FC at home.
Week two brought a morale sapping 2-0 defeat away at Grand Legacy FC that left questions about their early form.
They steadied the ship in week three with a narrow 1-0 win over Great Zimbabwe University FC at home to register their first three points of the season.
That leaves them on four points from the opening three games, five behind early pacesetters Green Fuel FC.
In a league that rewards endurance, the slow start is not fatal.
The Eastern Region Soccer League has over the years showed that it is a marathon, and whoever has the endurance can emerge as champions come October.
Nyamudakarira is banking on that long game, and on a spine built around experience.
Veteran goalkeeper Philip Makumi remains the last line of defence, while the experienced duo of Tatenda Kureti and Clarence Mbauya bring stability and leadership.
Both have been with the club for over five years and understand what promotion campaigns demand.
Around them, Tenax are blooding a new wave of talent.
Winger Troy Kwambana is one of the notable rising stars expected to add pace and unpredictability in the final third.
The blend of seasoned campaigners and hungry youngsters is central to Nyamudakarira’s plan.
“We’re working tirelessly on our strategy, team development, and infrastructure to make that happen,” he reiterated.
For a club run under the Prisons and Correctional Services banner, infrastructure and discipline have never been the issue.
The missing piece has been turning consistency into a championship.
The numbers suggest they are close.
Second place last year, the best defence in the league, and a culture of conceding less than 20 goals a season is a foundation most clubs would envy.
What they need now is to convert draws into wins and ensure the false start does not become a trend.
With over thirty games still to play, Nyamudakarira’s message is clear: Chauya Chikara are not here to make up numbers.
They are here to win the Eastern Region and return to the top flight. The chairman has set the tone. The players know the target. And if their defensive record holds while the attack clicks, the Prisons side might just march back into the PSL come October.
For now, the chase is on.
Green Fuel FC have the early lead, but Tenax have the experience, the defensive record, and a chairman who says they are hungry.
In a marathon league, that hunger might be the difference.
