Chronicle Editor
Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
HIGHLANDERS have broken their silence on being shut out of the funeral wake and burial of former club chairman Ernest “Maphepha” Sibanda about a fortnight ago.
Sibanda died of diabetes-related complications at a Bulawayo hospital on August 10 after a long illness and was buried at Lady Stanley Cemetery on August 14.
Bosso were expected to be at the forefront of burying their former chairman, whose tenure, first as team manager and later as club boss, brought success to the side.
As team manager, Bosso won four successive Premier Soccer League titles from 1998, and won their last PSL title when he was club chairman in 2006.
The Bosso leadership attended both the funeral wake and burial in their individual capacities and were not afforded any speaking slots.
Instead, the Highlanders’ class of 1998, whom Maphepha managed into the history books equalling Dynamos’ streak of winning four league championships in a row, and Bulawayo City FC, where he was a board member, took centre stage in all proceedings. Bosso were snubbed for “punishing” Sibanda for life for his alleged embezzlement of funds from the sale of former striker Obidiah Tarumbwa to Belgian side Cercle Brugge in 2008.
Although Sibanda paid back the money, the club reportedly refused to pardon him and he was barred from holding any elected position at the club, leaving Bosso members divided.
His backers and sympathisers accused Highlanders of ostracising Sibanda and never forgave the club for that resulting in the club being blacked out from the burial of its former player, team manager and chairman.
Bosso sought to set the record straight over the snub yesterday.
“As is the norm, according to the long-standing club’s bereavement culture, the club offered financial and transport assistance to the Sibanda family. This was declined and the reason was that these were instructions Ernest Maphepha Sibanda had given while he was still alive. Hence the exclusion of the club by the organisers from the funeral proceedings thereof,” Highlanders said in a statement.
“Highlanders FC would like to officially set the record straight in acknowledging Mr Ernest Maphepha Sibanda’s sterling contribution to the club’s quest to develop, further promote and advance the game of football. It should be noted that the club denied him a second bid to run for the chairmanship post in 2018 on account of a corporate governance issue which had arisen during his term of office in the period 2006-2008.
“Club members will remember the detailed report made to the AGM and the resolution made on it. Highlanders FC would not like to revisit the details of the matter as it was amicably resolved with Mr Ernest Maphepha Sibanda at the time.”
Bosso also distanced themselves from some speeches made on the day of burial.
“Consequently, Highlanders FC therefore, wishes to completely dissociate itself from the many false allegations and ill-informed statements made by some of the speakers at the burial service beamed live on Facebook designed to deliberately tarnish the good image of the club.
“Contrary to the picture portrayed by some of the speakers, Highlanders FC would like to assure all its stakeholders, associates and partners that it is a well-established, tried and tested entity which is governed by clear rules and regulations as determined by the club’s constitution and the football statutes at large.
“Only designated club authorities can communicate the club’s official position on club matters. As such, those people that purport to be club spokespersons should be ignored as they, in fact, would be expressing their own personal opinions, not the official club position. Highlanders FC deeply regrets that some people chose to use the sad passing on of one of the great sons of the club to further their own ulterior motives.” – @innocentskizoe
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