Football fraternity mourns Mugadza
THE Zifa Normalisation Committee yesterday joined the football fraternity in mourning Patrobes Mugadza, a former Zimbabwe Saints benefactor who died on Monday morning in Bulawayo.
He was 90 at the time of his death and has been described as a great servant of the club.
Mugadza, who is the father of Zifa NC member, Rosemary as well as footballers Charles, Abisha, Brian and Abedinigo, died at Mpilo Hospital where he had been admitted for a fortnight. In a statement, the Zifa NC said:
“The Zimbabwe Football Association conveys its heartfelt condolences to Normalisation Committee member Rosemary Mugadza following the passing of her father, Patrobes Mugadza. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Mugadza family and friends during this difficult period of grief.
“May our dear father’s soul rest in eternal peace.” Vincent Pamire, a member of the Zimbabwe Saints Trustees Board, said Mugadza was a loyal and dedicated member of the club.
“We have lost a great servant of Zimbabwe Saints who gave so much to the club for no monetary gain but as his gift to the community and the game. He was a loyal and dedicated member who whenever he was off gave himself to the club and his family,” said Pamire.
He said for decades it was people like Mugadza, who gave wise counsel to the institution leading to its growth and also helping the club lift championships and other tournaments in the 1970s and 1980s.
“These were gentlemen whose years in the game and club were the foundation of the team’s success. You could pay them a courtesy call and get sound advice about life, the game and Zimbabwe Saints.
“His death has robbed the club of a true Chikwata son, we hope our initiative to revive the club through an academy would be a fitting send off for him as he always wanted his club to stand up and be counted,” said Pamire.
Pamire served in the successful executive of the 1980s, which won the league and Chibuku Trophy locally and a bronze medal in the Cecafa Club Championships held in Uganda in 1987. Acting Zimbabwe Saints chairman Ishmael Kaguru said the death of Mugadza came as a shock to the Chikwata Family.
“Every football set up has seniors. Mugadza was a Chikwata elder and we benefited a lot from him as he provided the club with a bus to matches. He did a lot for the club so much that even his children played for Zimbabwe Saints at some time. We have been left poorer,” said Kaguru.
Mugadza was born in Rusape on February 2, 1933 and attended school in the neighbourhood. He taught briefly in Rusape before finding a job as a village clerk in Hwange where he played football.
After spending about three years in Hwange, he moved to Bulawayo in 1956 and continued his football career, playing for Rusape United in the Bulawayo African Football Association where some teams were formed alongside ethnic lines.
In 1961 he retired as a player and started supporting Zimbabwe Saints. He gave his vehicles to the club to use, including a Morris that club legend Gibson Homela used to ferry teammates to matches around the country at times.
Abedinigo, one of Mugadza’s sons said their father would be buried in Bulawayo either on Friday or Saturday. He said they were waiting for Charles and Lovejoy to confirm their travel arrangements if they will manage to make the trip for the funeral.
“Ubaba is set to be buried on Friday or Saturday here in the city. We still await confirmation from our brothers Charles and Lovejoy who are outside the country,” said Abedinigo yesterday.