Chronicle EditorLovemore Dube, [email protected]
FORMER Zimbabwe Saints benefactor and board member, Peter Nemapare who died in Gweru on Sunday evening will be buried this morning at Rockford Farm near Tongogara in Shurugwi.
He is believed to have been between 89-90 years old.
His close friend and former Zimbabwe Saints fellow sponsor Aleck Matsa-Mlingo confirmed last night that Nemapare was no more. He said his former colleague had not been well for some time.
“He died in Gweru on Sunday evening. He had not been well for a while. He will be buried at Rockford Farm tomorrow morning. He must have been 89-90, he can’t have been younger than 89,” said Matsa-Mlingo.
Matsa-Mlingo said Nemapare who studied law and rose to be a magistrate and later assistant general manager of the National Railways of Zimbabwe, was fond of football and served in different capacities at Mashonaland United (later Saints) and the Rhodesia National Football League where he deputised John Madzima.
Born in Shurugwi, he was educated at Thekwane Mission and later Goromonzi, according to Matsa-Mlingo.
Another former Saints trustee and board member, Amon Tafeni said Nemapare was a good man who loved his community and football.
“He mixed well with people. He dabbled in politics at first with Zanu (Ndabaningi Sithole faction) before joining Zanu-PF. He loved football and did so much for the game both at Zimbabwe Saints and national level,” said Tafeni.
Tafeni described Nemapare as key in bringing Gibson Homela, Aleck Mwanza and William Sibanda to Mashonaland United from Gweru and Fletcher High School with the late nationalist Herbert Ushewokunze.
Alongside Ushewokunze, Tafeni, Green Gwelo, Joseph Rusike, Matsa-Mlingo and Reuben Zemura they were in a group of businessmen who would contribute 200 Pounds each at the beginning of every year to help run Mashonaland United.
They were able to buy a bus and VW Minibus from Puzey and Payne.
“Long back, people started at club level and then after three or so years seek higher office unlike nowadays,” said the respected Tafeni.
He is credited as having been part of the initial Saints administrators who negotiated with Italian Club leaders for Zimbabwe Saints to take over and establish their own home in 1988.
Meanwhile, charismatic former Zimbabwe National Football Supporters Association leader Eddie “Mboma” Nyatanga has died.
Nyatanga passed away on Tuesday night at the age of 63.
Regarded as the godfather of the ZNSSA, Nyatanga was also a kingmaker in Zimbabwe’s football politics.
A larger-than-life character, Nyatanga was a founding member of the ZNSSA and a very key figure in co-ordinating activities for national team fans.
“He developed some clots in his lungs and this caused suffocation,” his son Bruce, told Zimpapers Sports yesterday.
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