From his uncle’s funeral to his own

Curtworth Masango

BARNABAS Mushunje was mourning his uncle, in Bocha, just a few days ago.

On his return, he decided to visit his family and then dash to catch the team bus for the trip to Shamva, where he played for ambitious side, Simba Bhora.

Unfortunately, he missed the team bus.

He found space in a car, which was ferrying passengers from Harare to Shamva, for him to be part of his team’s training session.

Simba Bhora were supposed to have a tough ZIFA Northern Region Division One top-of-the-table showdown against Golden Eagles.

Sadly, for Mushunje, a midfielder of genuine talent who had even played for Dynamos, this would be his final trip.

The car he was travelling in never got to Shamva after it crashed into a tractor and the injured Mushunje was ferried to Parirenyatwa Hospital, where he died on arrival.

His widow, Nonsikelelo Muzengeza, 23, said her husband was caring and loving and the tragic news hit the family hard.

“He was a loving husband who always cared about his family. He was my confidante and I could tell him whatever was troubling me,” she said.

“We could argue at times but we would always bury our differences amicably.

“He was so caring, he was my best friend and I am in pain.”

She added:

“He arrived, coming from Mutare, and called me saying I am at Tichaz, do you need some diapers for our young child?

“He then arrived and said he was rushing to catch up with the bus as he was late and running for a training session.

“Unlike all the other days, where I would accompany him, he instructed me to stay home as it was cold and he was afraid the child could catch flu.”

Then, after some time, she tried to check on him.

“I then later tried to call him to see if he had travelled well. Normally he called me, notifying me that he had travelled well,” she said.

“That day he didn’t.

“My calls were not getting through.

“Then, I was awakened by my friends who had come to console me thinking that I was aware he had passed on.

“That’s how I got to know of the news.”

Samuel Mushunje, the brother of the deceased, said the whole family was in pain.

“He was a good person, who was always playing football. He was at Ngezi, Dynamos and Simba Bhora.

“That’s how we all know him for.

“Barnabas left home (Bocha) in a rush to get to work after he had attended the burial of our father.

“By the time we got to Harare, we heard he had been involved in an accident, without clear details and, after some hours, we heard he was at the hospital before his death was announced.”

Barnabas left behind a four-year-old and two-months-old kid.