Jonah Fabisch: Why Harambee Stars Missed Out on Kenyan-Born Zimbabwe AFCON 2025 Star

As Zimbabwe faced record African champions Egypt in their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations opener on Monday, a familiar name among Kenyans was in their starting lineup.

Jonah Reinhard Fabisch started in midfield as the Warriors took on the Pharaohs in the Group B encounter which they nearly picked a point from after Prince Dube’s 20th minute goal saw them hold on until the 64th minute when Omar Marmoush equalised before Mohamed Salah scored in stoppage time to deny them a share of the spoils.

Jonah put in an impressive performance at the heart of midfield and as he went about his business, his last two names rang a bell among Harambee Stars supporters.

PAY ATTENTION: Follow us on Google News, Stay informed with Latest Sport News

For those not in the know, Jonah would be representing Kenya had he opted for that option but he chose Zimbabwe from the three countries that he was eligible to play for at international level.

The 24-year-old is the son to the late Harambee Stars coach Reinhard Fabisch, the German tactician who is credited with lifting Harambee Stars and giving Kenyan fans some of their best memories with the national team.

Reinhard Fabisch Sr, who died in July 2008, had three stints as Harambee Stars coach, the first in 1987 before a second one 10 years later, and his third between 2001 and 2002. In between, he also coached the Zimbabwe national team (1992-1994) and South African club Mamelodi Sundowns in 1996.

It was during his third stint in Kenya that Jonah was born on August 13, 2001 in Nairobi and that made him eligible to play for Kenya. Jonah’s mother, Chawada Kachidza, a former athlete and record holder, is a Zimbabwean national who Fabisch met while working in Zimbabwe.

That therefore made the young footballer eligible to play for Zimbabwe and the third country he could choose is Germany, where his father comes from.

However, while he was raised in Germany, where he underwent his football education at Hamburger SV, the central midfielder opted to turn out for Zimbabwe at international level, continuing the Fabisch legacy in Africa.

The game against Egypt was his first taste of AFCON and his seventh cap for the Warriors, having made his Zimbabwe debut in an AFCON qualifier against Ethiopia in November 2021, before a spell out of the team until ex-coach Michael Nees recalled him in June this year.

Jonah has since sprung to prominence, starting four of his last four games, and will be looking for more when Zimbabwe take on Angola in their next AFCON 2025 match on Boxing Day.

Jonah offers mobility, is intelligent and physically stronger while his composure helps him to get his team out of trouble when under pressure.

The midfielder, who has played for Hamburger II and FC Magdeburg II sides, now turns out for German third division side Erzgebirge Aue and will hope to have a great AFCON to secure a transfer to a bigger club in Europe.