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Fungai Muderere Sports Reporter
Family of the late Warriors coach and Highlanders legend Rahman “Rush” Gumbo revealed yesterday that paper work to repatriate his body will begin today in Francistown, Botswana’s.
The late Gumbo, a former Dream Team Star, passed on at the age of 59 late Friday night at Francistown Academic Hospital where he was admitted after falling sick at his Palapye home.
Family representative Zeblon Mhlanga, who is also the late Gumbo’s uncle said: “All I can say, it seems things are moving in the right direction. The efforts to repatriate Rahman’s body will start tomorrow (today) in Francistown. That is to say those who are in Botswana will handle all the paperwork.
“We are expecting the body to be in the country on Wednesday or Thursday. However, I will be able to confirm the exact day tomorrow (today) in the evening. We are very much grateful for the support we have been getting and our relatives who are from places such as Tsholotsho, Nyamandlovu and other areas have started arriving.”
The late Gumbo’s demise came as a shock.
He was a key member of Bosso and the Warriors alongside Willard Mashinkila Khumalo, Madinda Ndlovu, Alexander Maseko, Abraham Mbambo, Mercedes “Rambo” Sibanda, Benjamin Konjera and Adam “Adamski” Ndlovu.
The ex-Warriors mentor’s death also came a few days after he had separated with Botswana Premier Soccer League outfit Morupule Wanderers.
The not easily upset or worried esteemed Bosso great, enjoyed successful coaching stints in Zimbabwe, Botswana and Malawi where he won league titles to become a distinct football coaching boss as compared to many of his peers.
He made history by winning championship trophies as a coach in three different countries.
However, it was in Botswana where Rush had become a very respected personality after several spells of having coached some top Batswana clubs that include Gaborone United, Township Rollers and Mochudi Centre Chiefs among others.
Besides coaching Highlanders at home, the late Gumbo also had coaching jobs at CAPS United, FC Platinum, Bulawayo Chiefs, Technosphere, Bulawayo Wanderers, and the now defunct Motor Action and Chicken Inn.
His last local elite football league contract was with former Premiership club TelOne four years ago.
Since Saturday morning the country has been in grief with the local football community mourning one of the country’s noticeable people in the world’s most beautiful game — football.
The late Gumbo started his football career with the now defunct Eagles in the 1980s before moving to Highlanders where he became a hit.
He made his name as an attacking midfielder, though he started off as a striker.
Gumbo broke into the national team and he was a key figure of the celebrated Dream Team.
He had stints in Cyprus and Denmark as a player. His playing days were put to an end by a knee injury in 1993 at the age of 30. The late Gumbo, who comes from a family of 11 siblings, is survived by his wife Virginia Gumbo, four children Bukhosi, Mkhuseli, Mandisa and Thabo.
Mourners are gathered at 13 Lendy Road, North End in Bulawayo.
Online Reporter