Online Reporter
Langalakhe Mabena [email protected]
AS Highlanders Football Club’s centenary celebrations gather momentum, Bulawayo comedy outfit Umahlekisa Comedy Club is set to inject humour into the festivities with a special roast honouring the city’s football giants.
The event, scheduled for Bulawayo Large City Hall on August 21, will blend comedy, football culture and nostalgia as Highlanders’ 100-year journey is revisited through jokes, banter and storytelling.
Highlanders, affectionately known as Bosso, was founded in 1926 and is commemorating a century of existence through a year-long programme of celebrations.
Umahlekisa director Ntando Van Moyo said preparations for the roast were at an advanced stage, with the comedy outfit assembling a panel of personalities well versed in the rich history and culture of Bosso.
The panel includes Zimpapers senior reporter Sikhumbuzo Moyo, veteran modelling instructor and former Miss Highlanders Sipho Mazibuko, Sportsgrind’s Buhlebenkosi Ncube and Zimbabwean-Hollywood actor Tendai Humbasha Maduwa, among others.
There will also be surprise guests, including devoted Highlanders supporters who have stood by the club through its triumphs, disappointments and defining moments.
“We are ready to host the show and we have managed to craft a panel comprising Bosso loyalists who know the ins and outs of the club, the wins and losses, the glorious moments and the challenges that have shaped Highlanders over the years,” said Van Moyo.
He said the event would not only poke fun at some of the club’s memorable moments but would also celebrate Highlanders’ immense contribution to Zimbabwean football and communities over the past century.
“Roasts are about celebration. We’ll be celebrating a football giant that has given Zimbabwe countless memories over the past 100 years. There will be jokes, banter and storytelling, but all of it will be done in honour of Bosso and its remarkable contribution to football and community development in Zimbabwe,” he said.
Van Moyo said the roast would extend beyond football and comedy, with the production also incorporating music, dance, fashion and poetry.
He said a dedicated team behind the scenes was working tirelessly to ensure the event was delivered to the highest standard.
On the fashion front, Umahlekisa has partnered with Signature Suits, which will sponsor the winners of the “black and white” carpet segment. The company will also serve as the fashion police, judging guests and revellers as they make their way into the venue.
Van Moyo said Umahlekisa had also partnered with Zimpapers Digital to livestream the roast, allowing Highlanders supporters unable to attend, including those in the diaspora, to be part of the celebrations.
“Zimpapers is a leading media house and they have done very well in keeping up with the new digital and social media trends, something that made us collaborate with them in livestreaming the event. This move was inspired by the motive to accommodate millions of Highlanders supporters from all over the world to join us as we celebrate this milestone.
“Zimpapers has more than one million readers and viewers, hence this is also a great platform for businesses and companies to utilise this opportunity to advertise their products during our livestream and reach a much greater audience,” said Van Moyo.
Last month, Highlanders was struck by a series of devastating losses after senior executive members, chairman retired Colonel Kenneth Mhlophe, vice-chairman Fiso Siziba and treasurer Nkani Khoza, together with supporter Mbalenhle Sibanda, died in a tragic road accident while travelling from Kariba to Bulawayo.
The club suffered another blow shortly afterwards following the death of its long-serving secretary, Sihlalisiwe Mnkandla.
Their deaths cast a dark cloud over Bosso’s centenary celebrations and left supporters across the country in mourning.
Van Moyo revealed that the departed Highlanders members would be honoured during the roast, saying their loss had left a profound void within the Bosso family.
“We have lost many of our people at Highlanders, including our recent tragic loss of our executive members through a road accident. We will dedicate a segment to them at the roast to pay our respects as we remember how much they contributed to the growth and maintenance of Highlanders.
“Their deaths will forever be embodied as part of our 100-year celebrations because such a tragic loss is the first of its kind in the Zimbabwean football fraternity. We will celebrate them through laughter because when we crafted this roast, they gave us the blessing to celebrate Bosso through such a manner,” said Van Moyo.
Umahlekisa has previously hosted roasts featuring personalities such as Sandra Ndebele, Novuyo Seagirl and Bulawayo Mayor Councillor David Coltart.
The comedy outfit has established itself as one of the pioneers of the roast format in Zimbabwe, using humour to celebrate personalities and institutions while reflecting on their journeys.
