Online Reporter
Tadious Manyepo
Zimpapers Sports Hub
SIMBA Bhora have decided to immortalise their late former midfielder Barnabas Mushunje by setting a commemoratory match every pre-season starting this February in his memory.
The Shamva side credit a huge chunk of their successful Northern Region Soccer League campaign in 2022 to the ex-Dynamos, Ngezi Platinum and Mutare City mainstay.
He was very influential in the team that eventually nicked Premiership promotion at the end of the 2022 season.
Unfortunately, Mushunje died in a tragic accident in Musiiwa as he was travelling from Harare to Shamva to join his teammates after attending a funeral wake in his rural home in Bocha on June 7, 2022.
His death affected the club in a huge manner as Simba Bhora went for a five-match streak without a win after the tragedy.
But even more heartbreaking was the fact that he left his 21-year-old wife, Nonsikhelelo Nicole Muzengeza, nursing a four-month-old baby, Tinashe, while the couple’s oldest child Tinotenda was only four.
Simba Bhora president Simba Ndoro then took an undertaking to continue paying salaries and winning bonuses to Mushunje’s family for the entire period his contract was supposed to be in existence.
Now the 2024 Premier Soccer League champions have now decided to play a commemoratory match every year in his honour with the entire proceeds going to his family.
The first such game has already been sanctioned and will see Simba Bhora facing off against PSL newcomers Agama at Wadzanayi on February 21.
“This is the position we have taken to help us remember Barnabas and continue helping his family,” said Ndoro.
“It’s not going to be a once-off match but an annual event to commemorate one of our heroes from the NRSL.”
Mushunje’s widow is now living with her mother in Zvishavane with her kids now in school.
Muzengeza’s mother Esther Matshe said: “We can only wish Simba Bhora the best. Like what they promised during the funeral of my son-in-law, they continued availing salaries and even winning bonuses until the time when his contract with them lapsed.
“And even after that, Simba Ndoro is always in touch, providing groceries and clothes for the kids.
“There is something that you might also need to know; I was widowed at the age of 22 when Nonsi (Mushunje’s widow) was only four.
“She is my only child and I also saw her being widowed at the age of 21 and with very young kids.
“I would like to salute Simba Bhora for their gesture and immortalising Mushunje.”
Interestingly, Mushunje’s best friend Tinashe Balakasi, whom he played with at Simba Bhora will also be taking part in the inaugural commemoratory game as he is now with Agama.
“I wish to thank Simba Bhora for this development,” said Balakasi.
“It’s something I never thought they would do. But it also shows that they are human and I would like to invite Zimbabweans to come and support this initiative.”
Meanwhile Simba Bhora coach Mandla “Lulu” Mpofu is confident his charges will do well in the coming season despite losing a number of key players from last season.
Mpofu replaced Joel Luphahla who is now with FC Platinum and the latter helped the Shamva outfit to a third-place finish last year.
Simba Bhora are currently in Gaborone, Botswana for a pre-season sojourn.
“I think the feeling is straightforward you know it’s a team that is three years old but they have already tested the success and I don’t think there’s something that we can sit down and discuss.
“The message is straightforward; we still want to compete and win trophies, which means there’s a little bit of pressure but without pressure you can’t enjoy this game so with the leadership they want the team to win whether trophies or the championship, but they’ve tasted success so it’s really a good pressure for us, the technical team and the players; we still want to play and make sure that we win games.”
Mpofu is also happy to have inherited a side that had already laid a foundation for success.
“I think the foundation is there, you know, as much as we lost good players, maybe the club thought we could have kept them.
“But these things happen in football, you know, you can lose one of your best players but the only good thing, maybe that there was always a plan to say if John leaves, Peter will come in.
“And I think we have done that and it’s work in progress.”
