Chronicle Editor
Harare Bureau
CAPS UNITED president Farai Jere says the death of club legend Joe “Kode” Mugabe has added another dark chapter to a depressing period in which the Premiership football club has lost key pillars since the beginning of the year.
Mugabe, who carried the aspirations of the Green Machine for over a decade, died of cancer in the early hours of yesterday morning in Reading, England.
He is survived by his wife Jennifer and three children — Irene, Ashley and Alvin.
Mugabe, who relocated to the United Kingdom at the turn of the millennium, was just a few weeks shy of his 53rd birthday.
Mugabe was co-captain of CAPS United when they won their first league championship, post-independence, in 1996.
His death comes as the Green Machine family were still trying to come to terms with the passing on of their 1996 championship winning coach, Steve “The Dude” Kwashi, who died in Harare two weeks ago.
Makepekepe president Jere said the history of the club was dealt a big blow this year as the Green Machine continues to lose its stalwarts.
They also lost the chairman of the 1996 league title-winning side Shepherd Bwanya and former player and coach Anthony Kambani, who both died in January. Ex-midfielder Butler Masango, who played for Makepekepe in the late 1990s, also passed away in May this year.
“We are so devastated as CAPS United family because Kode was a true legend who dedicated his career, from a young age, to the service of the club.
“This has been a sad year for the club. It’s so sad we are mourning again, barely a month after we said our goodbyes to Steve Kwashi. We have lost a number of our club luminaries this year like Kambani, Bwanya, Butler, Steve and now Joe.
“Football as a whole has been left poorer this year considering that our colleagues Dynamos also suffered the same fate following the deaths of legends David Mandigora, Misheck Chidzambwa and Simon Sachiti recently. It’s so sad we had to go through all this,” said Jere.
Mugabe had a stellar career in the Green Machine colours which saw him being nominated Soccer Star of the Year finalist four times in 1994, 1995, 1996 and 2001.
The former midfield kingpin was also the CAPS United Players’ Player of the Season a record four times in 1993, 1994, 1998 and 2001.
He had made his debut for the Green Machine in 1988 and went on to win a number of trophies during the halcyon days for Zimbabwe’s “Cup Kings”.
Mugabe was co-captain alongside Silver “Bhonzo” Chigwenje in the mid-1990s.
“Joe Mugabe is an undisputed club legend. He has a very enormous history with the club and has seen it all after graduating from the juniors all the way to be captain of the senior team,” said Jere.
“Mugabe came from the juniors and started off with cameo roles in the senior team as a young boy from Churchill High School.
“In 1996, he was captain when we won the league title which changed the whole narrative about this team being winners. We used to specialise in being ‘Cup Kings’. So this was the first league title since Independence and from then on CAPS United have gone on to win more league titles.
“When he (Mugabe) was appointed captain, he managed to bring order to the star-studded CAPS United changing room. It’s not an easy thing to do anywhere in the world but he managed that with ease.
“He had a big control in a changing room that had star players like the late Cheche Billiat, Alois Bunjira, Stewart Murisa, Farai Mbidzo, Mpumelelo Dzowa, Frank Nyamukuta, Morgan Nkhatazo, Charles Yohane, Edelbert Dinha and Dumisani Mpofu.
“He managed to bridge the gap between the generations after playing with the 1980s group that had the likes of Joel Shambo and Shacky Tauro with the one that had the likes of Alois Bunjira, Lloyd Chitembwe, etc.
“He had sound leadership qualities and this helped coach Steve Kwashi achieve the success in 1996. Many people knew him as ‘Kode’ but we used to call him ‘Mr CAPS United’. He was a leader on and off the pitch and I am sure Kwashi needed someone like him as captain,” Jere said.
Mugabe also had a stint with former Premiership side, Sporting Lions, that was owned by Chimurenga music legend Thomas Mapfumo as co-coach with Lloyd Mutasa in the early 2000s.
At the time of his death, Mugabe was still involved in football development as chairman of the CAPS United Legends UK, a registered community organisation that is assisting in the growth of junior football in Zimbabwe.
He had partnered other former CAPS United players that include Frank Nyamukuta, Timothy Chirozvani, Cannisius Tongesai, Liberty Masunda, Tichaona Nyenda, Leonard Chirozvani, Charles Chikeya and United States-based Mpumelelo Dzowa.
They have donated football kits to a number of academies in Zimbabwe in the last few years. Harare giants CAPS United were also beneficiaries of the group’s benevolence in 2017 when they received equipment sourced by the group of the club’s legends based in the United Kingdom.
Jere was invited on tour to the European country where he had meetings with former CAPS United players who included the legendary midfielder Mugabe and defender Nyamukuta.
“I went to the UK some few years back and we got football equipment and other accessories from these guys. They are so passionate about grassroots development.
“They have also been able to donate, not only to CAPS United juniors, but to other football academies as well,” said Jere.
Londile Moyo
Bongani Ndlovu