adminBruce Chikuni
IN just one week, former Soccer Star of the Year, Masimba Dinyero has experienced the WORST and BEST of Harare.
The WORST category is represented by the armed thugs who mugged him, after tying his hands and legs, and blindfolding him, last week.
They also stripped him naked.
He was one of a number of people, including a policeman, who boarded a kombi, which was being used to rob people.
Dinyero lost his cellphone and cash and suffered physical and emotional scars from the nightmarish ordeal.
He says he is lucky to be alive today.
The BEST category is represented by the Good Samaritans who have reacted to his ordeal, after reading his story in H-Metro, and replaced what he lost during that robbery.
An emerging organisation US Again handed him a brand new Samsung cellphone and replaced exactly the money he lost that night.
US Again was founded by former Sunday Mail Sport editor, Makomborero “Mako Gold” Mutimukulu, who is now based in England.
One of the organisation’s leaders, Motion Mbano, handed over the cellphone and cash.
“We felt the need to assist Dinyero because of his status, he is someone we value for all the contribution he made during his time as a footballer and he deserves to be acknowledged,” said Mbano.
“And, we did what we could afford after recognising that there is need for assistance and we are not only going to wait for one to be a victim but we shall be assisting even active footballers.
“As an organisation, we are going to find our ways to assist any football-related challenges as long as it is within our capacity.”
Dinyero, who said he was still traumatised by the events of that night, expressed his gratitude and appealed to US Again to continue showing such love to anyone who might be in need.
“This is humbling and I’m really out of words because I didn’t see this coming,” he said.
“It’s a blessing to have people who are willing to go to such extremes just to assist someone they don’t owe.
“I just hope that one day someone, or even the corporate world, will come on board to assist this organisation so that they continue what they have started.
“What we went through that day is hell and should never happen to anyone.”
He also called for intensive patrols to reduce the number of robberies.
Dinyero and his fellow victims were driven to Greendale where they were blindfolded.
They had their hands and legs tied as the armed robbers stole their valuables.
They were also stripped naked.
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter