Football administrator Makumbe laid to rest

FORMER Zimbabwe Saints board chairman and staunch CAPS United supporter, Columbus Makumbe, was laid to rest at his farm at Chitomborwizi in Makonde District, Mashonaland West, yesterday morning.

Makumbe (62) was involved in a road accident when his car overturned along Zvimba Road on his way back from his farm on Tuesday afternoon.

Family spokesperson, Learnmore Mhepo, said they managed to lay to rest Makumbe and he had a befitting send-off with Chegutu Pirates, the Northern Region Division One club he was bankrolling at the time of his death, well represented at the burial site yesterday.

“We managed to send off one of the most adored football fanatics in Norton and in the Mashonaland West Province - Columbus Makumbe. Everything went on well and we are grateful to all those who supported us during this difficult period,” said Mhepo.

Makumbe was a regular feature at CAPS United matches in the late 1980s where he would travel with the team for their away games.

He went on to be part of former Premiership side Zimbabwe Saints as a board chairman through his love for football and his wish was to see the former champions, who are now languishing in the unfashionable world of Division Two football, return to the top-flight one day.

At the time of his death, Makumbe, who was now a Norton-based businessman, was sponsoring ZIFA Northern Region Division One side Chegutu Pirates.

In the mid- 2000s, Makumbe bankrolled Concession-based former Northern Region Division One side, Dorking Farm, before he shifted his base to Norton where he immediately ‘’fell in love’’ with Chegutu Pirates.