Online Reporter
Sikhumbuzo Moyo, [email protected]
THERE are people whose titles command respect, and there are those whose character earns love. The late Zimbabwe Republic Police Superintendent Fiso Siziba (pictured) belonged to the rare group that possessed both.
He wore two demanding jackets throughout his life — that of a police officer and that of a football administrator. Yet neither uniform ever changed the man beneath them. Humility remained his defining trademark.
To many, he was simply “Bro Fie” — approachable, warm, honest and always ready with a smile. Whether he was in police uniform or seated in the Highlanders Football Club boardroom, he never carried himself as a man of authority.
He carried himself as a servant.
That was Fiso Siziba.
Zimbabwe awoke to unimaginable grief after the horrific road traffic accident along the Gweru-Bulawayo Road that claimed the lives of Highlanders chairman Kennedy Mhlophe, vice chairman Fiso Siziba, treasurer Nkani Khoza and club member Mbalenhle Sibanda last Thursday. The tragedy robbed Bosso of dedicated leaders and robbed many families of husbands, fathers, brothers and friends.
For me, the loss is deeply personal.
I first knew Fiso Siziba when he served in the Zimbabwe Republic Police VIP Escort Unit. Our paths crossed more frequently after his transfer to Bulawayo, where he served at Queens Park, Pumula and Entumbane police stations before rising through the ranks to become Superintendent and second-in-command of Nkulumane Police District.
Despite climbing the ranks in the police service, he remained remarkably grounded. If you met him without knowing his profession, you would never have guessed he was a senior police officer. Rank never defined him. Humanity did.
In October 2020, I sat down with him at Pumula Police Station for what was meant to be an interview introducing him to Highlanders members as a football administrator. Looking back today, I believe the interview helped many appreciate the kind of leader he was — transparent, passionate and committed to serving football with integrity.
He never beat about the bush. He spoke honestly, whether the truth was comfortable or not. That honesty earned him respect across football circles.
Football was not simply a hobby for Siziba. It was woven into his life’s fabric.
Growing up in Mzilikazi before moving to Emakhandeni, football became part of his identity through the vibrant youth centres and dusty streets of Bulawayo. He attended Nyamande Primary School before moving to Sobukhazi
Secondary School, where he shared the football field with future stars such as Nkululeko Dlodlo and Gift Lunga Senior. He would often laugh while admitting that they were more gifted players than he was, but he proudly described himself as a hardworking footballer driven by passion rather than talent.
Although he never reached the elite level as a player, he competed in Division One before successfully transitioning into coaching and administration. He coached the ZRP Midlands team to the 2002 Commissioner-General’s Shield and later became one of the country’s respected football administrators.
He served as vice-secretary of the ZRP Soccer Management Committee, one of the force’s highest football structures, and also contributed as a board member responsible for fixtures in the Zifa Southern Region executive.
His policing career also created unforgettable football memories.
While serving in the National Highway Patrol, he was part of escort teams for major international matches played in Zimbabwe.
He proudly escorted the Brazilian national team during their visit ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup and also accompanied Egyptian giants Al Ahly during their CAF Champions League visit to face Dynamos. One treasured souvenir remained close to his heart — Mohamed Aboutrika’s famous number 22 jersey, presented to him as appreciation for his professionalism.
Yet, despite these remarkable experiences, Siziba remained the same humble man from Emakhandeni.
He often said policing came before football.
He never allowed his love for the game to interfere with his professional responsibilities. Instead, he used football as a bridge between the police and the communities they served, believing sport was one of the strongest tools for community policing and social cohesion.
That philosophy defined his leadership.
He never sought personal glory. He sought opportunities to serve.
As Highlanders vice chairman, he brought calmness, wisdom and honesty to the club. He understood Bosso was more than just a football team; it was an institution that united generations and communities.
Away from football and policing, Siziba was a devoted Catholic, a proud Liverpool supporter, a Highlanders life member, a loving husband to Anne and a doting father to his three daughters — Nonceba (Linda), Sisa and Thandaza — whom he adored.
Today, Bosso mourns.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police mourns.
Football mourns.
His family mourns.
And those of us privileged enough to know the man behind the titles mourn a friend whose greatest achievement was not the rank on his shoulders or the position he occupied in football, but the lives he touched through kindness, humility and unwavering service.
The police jacket has been folded.
The Bosso blazer has been laid to rest.
But the legacy of Bro Fie — the gentle giant who served with honour, led with humility and loved without reservation — will continue to inspire generations long after the final whistle.
Rest well, Superintendent Fiso Siziba.
You served your badge with distinction.
You served Bosso with pride.
Above all, you served humanity with your heart.
