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Onward Gangata in GWERU
FORMER CAPS United captain and defender Tapiwa Kumbuyani, who died on Sunday was laid to rest at Mtapa cemetery in Gweru yesterday.
Scores of mourners, including Khumbuyani’s ex-teammates, former and current players and administrators, came together to give a befitting send off to the man who also featured for Chapungu in the Premiership.
Footballers Union of Zimbabwe president Desmond Maringwa led former players who came to pay their last respects.
Among those present were former Masvingo United and Dynamos winger Wonder Sithole, Herbert Dick, Norman Maroto, Matthew Mahala, Dumisani Mufudze, Nomsa “Boyz” Moyo and many others from Chapungu where Kumbuyani made his top-flight league debut.
Yesteryear great Wonder Chaka, who worked with Kumbuyani at ZimAlloys during the early days of the late defender’s career, said the football community had lost a leader.
“I am deeply saddened by Tapiwa’s death, he was such a level-headed player during the time I worked with him.
“It came as no surprise that he went on to captain several other teams during his career,” Chaka said.
Maringwa echoed Chaka’s sentiments, adding that Kumbuyani was not only a responsible footballer, but a leader in general.
“It is sad that we have lost him at such a young age, I played against him several times when he was at CAPS United and we developed mutual respect for each other,” Maringwa said.
“As FUZ we had hopes in such young men like him, we all heard what he was doing for his family and that shows he was organised.
“We had hoped to continue working together with him in our programmes.”
Former Chapungu midfielder, Brian Nhamo, who played together with Kumbuyani at the Air Force of Zimbabwe side between 2002 and 2006 also spoke highly of his ex-teammate.
“When I joined Chapungu in 2002, it was him who recommended me to Misheck Chidzambwa, although he was younger than me. I enjoyed sharing the dressing room with him and we kept in touch even after he left the team,” he said.
Kumbuyani succumbed to liver cancer at the age of 41.
He cut his footballing teeth at Chapungu in the early 2003 and went on to play for several teams which included Masvingo United, Monomotapa, CAPS United, How Mine, Bantu Rovers and was capped seven times at senior national team level.
He is survived by his two children Charmaine and Troy.
Online Reporter