JAMANDA, THE WORKAHOLIC CHIEF OF PROTOCOL, LAID TO REST

FORMER Blackpool and Motor Action board member, Simeon “Buju” Jamanda, has been described by close colleagues as a workaholic who would always go the extra mile to get things done.

The veteran administrator, who died on Thursday at West End Clinic after a long battle with diabetes, was laid to rest at Warren Hills yesterday.

A funeral service was held at Motor Action Sports Club yesterday morning with hundreds of people in attendance.

From Motor Action Sports Club, the funeral procession headed for Warren Hills cemetery for the burial.

Among those that came to pay their last respects to Jamanda were ZIFA Normalisation Committee chairman Lincoln Mutasa, former ZIFA administrator Lazarus Mhurushomana, ex-football administrator Joe George, former Motor Action captains, Salim Milanzi and Prince Matore, Tendai Samanja, ex-Blackpool directors – Ronnie Chihota, Ginger Chinguwa and Joe Musenda – and former Motor Action co-director Liz Rosen.

They all spoke highly of the late Jamanda.

“We started working together since the formation of Motor Action at the turn of the millennium and we managed to travel a long journey,” said Rosen.

“It is difficult to digest that he is no more. “Jamanda was a leader, who would go all out to make sure that our dreams are fulfilled. He was by our side when our daughter died some 23-years ago, as well as when my husband Eric passed on.”

Chinguwa said:

“I was privileged to work with Jamanda since the time we formed Blackpool and he was very active as he was always on the forefront.

“When we started Blackpool, I decided to rope in Jamanda as we were neighbours in Mbare. I was a very close friend of Simeon’s elder brother Emmanuel, who is now based in the United Kingdom.

“When I joined Blackpool, I took Jamanda on board and every time we would play an away game he was the first to go and prepare the ground for us,” said Chinguwa.

Zimbabwe National Soccer Supporters Association chairman, Dallas Sekawawana, said the game had lost one of its strongest pillars.

“He was a football man, a true football fellow and he loved the game without expecting anything in return,” said Sekawawana.

“We are saying goodbye to a true football guy.”