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Grace Chingoma
Senior Sports Reporter
FORMER Dynamos treasurer, Eric Mvududu, says the Glamour Boys have lost an astute administrator following the death of club legend, Simon Sachiti.

Mvududu worked for years with Sachiti in the DeMbare team leadership.

“He was a nice gentleman, it was nice to work with Simon and George Shaya, as chairman and vice chairman,’’ said Mvududu.

“I liked their delegation powers, they would not interfere with the operations of lower offices.

“They would not override decisions made.

“If you brief them about your portfolio, if everything is satisfactory, they would agree and if they had questions, they would ask and fully understand the issue at hand.

“They were good administrators, the two of them, and I think it’s because they started being part of the administration when they were still players.

“May his soul rest in peace.’’

Kashangura said Sachiti was instrumental in wooing ex-Minister Webster Shamu, to join the structures, as the club’s patron.

“As secretary-general, I was tasked by the chairman of Dynamos board of trustees, the late Richard Chiminya, to approach Minister of Defence . . . Hon Sydney Sekeramayi,’’ said Kashangura.

“He indicated that he was unable, since the army and air force had teams, too, in the Premier League and there was bound to be a conflict of interest.

“I engaged Sachiti and he suggested I approach Hon Shamu and he agreed. I drafted the letter of appointment and drove to the late Chiminya’s workplace for his signature. I personally delivered the letter of appointment to him, but his name was suggested by Simon Sachiti.’’

Kashangura said the Dynamos executive then was committed despite working under a very harsh environment.

“I worked with him, when he was vice-chairman to George Shaya, Eric Mvududu was treasurer and I was the secretary-general,’’ he said.

“We had lost all players to Shooting Stars and started to rebuild the team under a tree at Raylton Sports Club, until we established an office in Eastlea.

“We brought in Savanna Tobacco as a sponsor, through its Pacific brand.

“Pioneer Corporation provided transport for the team and we also had Bakers Inn as a partner.

“We managed to bring in players like Edward Sadomba and Justice Majabvi.

“We worked as a team, he was a true leader, very polite and cheerful.’’

Kashangura remembers one incident, when the team travelled to Bulawayo, and Sachiti requested money for the services of a “sekuru.”

“On a lighter note, he once requested “mari yemutombo” when we were going to play against Highlanders.

“Mvududu and I were against the idea but George Shaya, as the chairman, prevailed over us and he was given the money.

“We went to Bulawayo and he said “sekuru” had said the warm-up should not be done at Barbourfields because we will lose the match.

“He insisted we do warm-up somewhere else.

“We held our warm-up session at Gifford High and went straight to the stadium.

“So, I was seated in the VVIP, next to Mudhara Sachiti. We scored first through Sadomba and I said to myself it’s really working.

“Highlanders equalised and then they scored the second goal and we lost 2-1.

“On our way back to Harare I was seated at the back, with Sachiti, in Mvududu’s car.

“Just after we have left Bulawayo, I said to Sachiti ‘Ko tadyiwa sei tine mutombo zvikanzi mupwere nyarara’ (how did we lose with those magical powers) and said young man just shut up.

“May his soul rest in eternal peace.”

Sachiti, who is set to be buried in Rusape today, belonged to the golden era of Dynamos, during the ‘70s, when the Glamour Boys asserted their dominance on the domestic scene.