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Eddie Chikamhi Sports Reporter—
HARARE giants Dynamos yesterday said they have lost a fatherly figure who will be difficult to replace following the death of Zimbabwe legend and vice chairman of the DeMbare board of directors, Freddy Mkwesha, which plunged the domestic football family into mourning.

Mkwesha, who was arguably one of the finest players to emerge from Zimbabwe, passed away in the morning after a long battle with diabetes.

He was due to celebrate his 74th birthday this Saturday, December 12. Dynamos board chairman Bernard Marriot yesterday said the Glamour Boys family was devastated by the loss.

Mkwesha was one of the founding members at the Glamour Boys in the early 1960s before he went to play in Europe. Marriot, who was a teammate during his playing days, said Mkwesha was a role model on the pitch.

At the time of his death, Mkwesha was working as advisor to the Dynamos board. Marriot said the Glamour Boys are planning to have his body paraded at Rufaro tomorrow.

“We are devastated. This is a great loss to us as Dynamos family. The void will be difficult to fill because he was a man who was always ready to give advice whenever we turned to him for guidance.

“He helped many people build their careers, including myself. We played together in the 60s and as you know I was a very temperamental player and he was one person who would always cool things down.

“Ask anyone, he will tell you that he was a very humble man. He maintained his character up to his old age and I must say we have lost a fatherly figure,” said Marriot.

Mkwesha had not been feeling well for some time after he was diagnosed with diabetes.

His condition deteriorated last Friday when he collapsed and was admitted at Harare Central Hospital where he finally lost the battle. His nephew, Cosmas Mkwesha, told The Herald that the former Zimbabwe international is expected to be buried tomorrow at his rural home in Goromonzi.

“As a family we are extremely shattered. He was the most senior surviving member of the family and now we are left with a huge void. Mourners are gathered at his home in Glen Norah.

“Consultations are still taking place, but we are hoping to take his body to Chinjika Village, Goromonzi, tomorrow (today) and we expect the burial on Thursday,” he said. Mkwesha was one of the players in the trailblazing Dynamos of the early 1960s which was formed when black players from Salisbury United and Salisbury City came together to champion black empowerment in football during the oppressive Rhodesian era.

This Dynamos team was so good they won their first championship in the year the club was formed in 1963. A fearsome striker during his playing days, Mkwesha is celebrated as the first black Zimbabwean to play professional football in Europe.

At the age of 25, he signed for Sporting de Braga in Portugal in 1966 where he played in the same league with World Cup legend Eusebio of Benfica. He later returned home and coached Harare giants CAPS United.

Marriot, who played alongside Mkwesha during the 1960s, remembers vividly how the former striker used to terrorise opponents.

“We formed a very formidable combination with him on number nine, myself on the right, Nathan Maziti on the left flank while Jairos Banda played number 10 and Allan Hlatshwayo or Richard Chiminya at number eight.

“This team ended the dominance by the white teams who had been discriminatory against the blacks. Most importantly, it removed the general feeling among the black majority that white men are superior and should be feared.

“We also showed to the politicians that Africans are capable enough to run their own affairs if left to do their own thing,” said Marriot.

Sunday Chidzambwa, another of the Dynamos greats who worked with Mkwesha during his coaching stint at CAPS United in the 1980s and again in the national team as assistants to Mick Poole, said Zimbabwe has lost a football icon.

“He was more than a gentleman. He always strived to have good relations with everyone he worked with. I viewed him as a brother, a father and a disciplinarian. I enjoyed working with him.

“I was his assistant at CAPS United and we also worked together at the national team where we were assistants to Mick Poole together with Ashton Nyazika and Peter Nyama.

“We teamed up again in the Dynamos board and I must say I learnt a lot of things from him which helped shape me,” said Chidzambwa.

Dynamos president —Kenny Mubaiwa — said the club was saddened with the death. “As you know he was one of the founding pillars of this institution called Dynamos. Over the years, he has been working very hard behind the scenes for this club to be where it is today.

“He was full of knowledge, a soft person who usually kept his peace even in those stormy meetings but when he spoke everyone listened. He always gave the best advice when it mattered most,” said Mubaiwa.

One of the players who worked under his wings at the Green Machine, Frank “Dealer” Nyamukuta, said the death of Mkwesha was a blow to the Zimbabwean football fraternity.

Nyamukuta, who is now based in the United Kingdom, posted on his Facebook wall as condolence messages poured in from around the world.

Newly-elected ZIFA president Philip Chiyangwa joined the nation in remembering the life of Mkwesha and his contribution to the domestic game.

Chiyangwa said the association will ensure that Mkwesha is accorded a befitting send-off.

“Mkwesha’s immense contribution to the beautiful game is undisputed and it touched many lives in pre-independent and post-independent Zimbabwe.

“Freddy Mkwesha was an outstanding player, administrator and coach and we will never forget his countless accomplishments and contributions he made to the number one game.

“Freddy Mkwesha served football with distinction and will be remembered for huge successes in the beautiful game.

“The Zimbabwe Football Association is greatly hurt by the death of such a gifted footballer, who moulded the lives and careers of many Zimbabwean footballers.

“Our gallant footballer Freddy Mkwesha served the game with great distinction and was no doubt an inspiration to our country’s current crop of exciting players.

“Allow me on behalf of the Zimbabwean football family, to extend my deepest condolences to the family of Mkwesha and his loved ones.

The Sport and Recreation Commission described Mkwesha as “football elder.” SRC director-general Charles Nhemachena said Mkwesha was one of the greatest players Zimbabwe produced.

“Freddy was Zimbabwe’s first football export to Portugal in 1966 at the age of 25. This was testimony of his great football skills and that is a manifestation that sport transcends all barriers. This is so because Zimbabwe was not yet independent then.

“After his playing days, Freddy became one of the best local coaches and went on to win various trophies and accolades with mainly CAPS United.

“Freddy was one of the ‘Football Elders’ and it will only be befitting for the local football mother body ZIFA, to honour his contribution to football by resolutely addressing the challenges that are currently bedevilling football. For it was through the likes of the late Freddy Mkwesha that our football now commands a huge following.

“On behalf of the SRC Board, management and staff I would like to convey our heartfelt condolences to his family,” said Nhemachena.

Mkwesha is survived by his widow Agnes and eight children from three different marriages. At the time of his death, he was staying with Agnes, who bore him two girls — Nyasha and Cynthia, who is pursuing university studies.

The former Zimbabwe international also had two daughters — Virginia and Charity — with mbira sensation Stella Chiweshe.

Prior to that, he had sired four children — Pulinho, Freddy (jnr), Isabel and Efelia — with his ex-Portuguese wife Emelia Pashoto Lobo.