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Collin Matiza
RONNIE Chihota, the man who changed the face of Zimbabwean football in the early 90s, will be buried this afternoon at his Chihota homestead just outside Harare.
Chihota, the president and one of the founder members of the now-defunct Premier Soccer League side, Blackpool, during the early 1990s, died at Dandaro in Harare last Friday morning after a long illness.
He was 76 (born September 8, 1948).
He will be laid to rest at 3pm at his village in Chihota today.
Family spokesman, Brian Kashangura, said the late Chihota’s body lay in state at his village last night ahead of today’s burial.
Chihota is best remembered for being one of the seven Harare businessmen who pulled their resources together and bought the Premiership franchise of police side Black Mambas in the early 90s.
The other businessmen who were part of the deal included the late Mbare-born Joel Salifu, Joe “Pajero” Musenda, Ben Muchedzi, Lecture Mpange (late), Ginger Chinguwa, and Forbes Chitava.
They named their new side Blackpool and it took the local Premiership by storm under the guidance of the legendary late duo of coaches Joel “Jubilee” Shambo and Shacky “Mr Goals” Tauro.
“Ndochi”, as the colorful Blackpool outfit were affectionately known by their supporters, wrote their piece of history as they were the first club from Zimbabwe to reach the semi-finals of the Africa Club Cup Winners Cup competition in 1995.
They lost to JS Kabylie of Algeria and by then they had won the hearts of many Zimbabwean football fans and followers, among them celebrated football commentator Charles “CNN” Mabika.
Mabika described the late Chihota as one of the most dedicated football administrators he has ever met.
“Ronnie Chihota was one of the most passionate and hard-working black football entrepreneurs and administrators I ever knew.
“As the head of an exciting and dedicated seven-man Blackpool board of directors, he led by example.
At “Ndochi” their motto as leaders was about “giving” and not “taking” from the game which sadly has been a horrendous and sickening manifestation amongst some of our football leaders in the past two decades or so.
“I had an excellent relationship with “Big Ron” as we called him. He would readily avail himself for an interview and you could ask him anything about his great club, his vision for it and would also offer his thoughts on improving our national game. “He was also one of the main influencers in my football media industry’s journey as he would offer constructive criticism for my work processions.
“And boy . . . did he love Blackpool and simply hated losing. The game has lost one of the most colourful and dedicated administrators who ever lived.
“Rest in peace and with a wide smile “Big Ron” because you built an inimitable and priceless model with the “Ndochi” football project that you masterminded . . . the best so far.”
Chihota’s friend and former business partner, ex-senior national team captain, Daniel “DC” Chikanda, who is now based in the UK, said he has lost both a brother and a friend.
“My friendship with Ronnie Chihota began when I was coaching Black Mambas in the Zimbabwean top-flight league in the 1980s.
“He was a very reserved and smart man who loved his football and was part of the Black Mambas family.
“And it came as no surprise when the club’s authorities, who were facing some financial problems in running the club, first offered their franchise to Ronnie Chihota in the late 1980s or early 90s.
“And as a man whose heart was always close to Black Mambas, he couldn’t turn down the offer and grabbed it with both hands.
“He pulled his resources together with his fellow football-loving businessmen who included Joel Salifu and they bought the club’s franchise from the police.
“They initially wanted me to continue as the team’s coach but I turned them down as I needed to take a rest from coaching and that’s when they brought in Joel Shambo and Shacky Tauro as their coaches.
“But Ronnie Chihota was the main man at the club and he treated the players and technical staff like his own children.
“I’m saddened by his untimely death because I last visited him at his home in Waterfalls in Harare a couple of weeks ago and he was in good spirits . . . We’ve lost a great gentleman of the game of football,” Chikanda said from his base in the UK yesterday.
Online Reporter