Shock as Biggie Zuze dies Biggie Zuze

Eddie Chikamhi and Grace Chingoma

BIGGIE ZUZE, the Dynamos assistant coach who died suddenly in Harare yesterday, was one of the finest players to wear the Glamour Boys’ iconic blue shirt.

In an illustrious career, in which he transformed himself into a club legend, Zuze gave it all for the DeMbare cause.

He was 55.

Colleagues said he complained of breathing difficulties in the morning and was rushed to a private medical facility at High Glen Centre in the capital, where he died in the afternoon.

Club chief executive, Jonathan Mashingaidze, confirmed Zuze’s death.

One of the club’s most loyal sons, Zuze embodied the spirit of the all-conquering Glamour Boys of the 1980s, playing with both passion and commitment, as part of a stellar cast of midfielders.

“I am speechless. It is shocking. He was a larger-than-life-character on and off the pitch,’’ said veteran broadcaster, Charles “CNN’’ Mabika, who covered the game when Zuze was at the peak of his athletic powers.

“When he joined DeMbare I coined the nickname Bindura.

“That’s where he came from and he was the first big star from Mashonaland Central to don the blue-and-white jersey. The people in that area were so proud of him that I saw it fit to give him that name.

“Shortly after that he was joined by his younger brother, Garikai, and I came up with the “Bindura Part 2’.”

Zuze joined Dynamos from Bindura United during the middle of the 1983 season and made his name playing alongside the likes of David Mandigora, Kenneth Jere, Clayton Munemo and Moses Chunga.

Mabika said Zuze was a fine grafter.

“He was a workaholic midfielder. He was not a stylish midfielder, but made that up with his workaholic attitude,’’ said the broadcaster, who is also a correspondent for the The Herald.

“A lot of Dynamos fans will attest to the fact that when Biggie was around in midfield, the team was not short in terms of a laborious schemer who would hold the midfield together.

“He didn’t score many goals, but definitely created them.’’

At the time of his death, Zuze was the assistant coach to Tonderai Ndiraya at the Glamour Boys.

He had been heavily involved in the planning for the start of the 2020 season, which has been put on hold because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

His colleagues, who spoke to The Herald, expressed shock after news filtered through the country, and beyond, that the man they also called “Nzou’’, had passed away.

Dynamos team manager, Richard Chihoro, was virtually in tears.

“I still cannot believe that it has happened because we have never heard him complain of any health issues when we worked with him.

“We have just been told that he has died, just like that.

“Yet, in the morning, he was communicating with some members of the staff and did not have any signs of distress. I am told he even woke up and worked in his garden in the morning before he got sick.

“We worked very well with him and we had good understanding as a technical team under Tonderai Ndiraya. Biggie will be sorely missed,” said Chihoro.

Dynamos spokesperson, Tinashe Farawo, said the Glamour Boys will stand by the Zuze family during this time of bereavement.

“We have learnt with great sadness of the passing on of Biggie. He was such a passionate coach, ever-present, mature and stable. Many people who know him will attest that he was a true gentleman,’’ he said.

“We were planning together for the 2020 season and it’s unfortunate tragedy struck.

“The void he left will be difficult to fill. As Dynamos we are together with the Zuze family during this difficult time. We will continue to support them.’’

Zuze was a household name during the 1980s. After his retirement, he coached several clubs, including Sporting Lions, Monomotapa, Triangle, Douglas Warriors and had stints with Dynamos both as head coach and the assistant gaffer.

Former Dynamos chairman, Simon Makaza, who watched Zuze evolve into a fine player, yesterday said the Glamour Boys have lost a great son.

“Zuze joined us in the early 1980s and he was one of the most passionate and humble guys I have worked with, both during his playing days and as a coach.

“He was a great Dynamos son and was always ready to deliver when called upon.

“No words can console the Zuze family at the moment, but we leave everything in the hands of God. We thank the Almighty for the time that we had with Biggie,” said Makaza.

Dynamos supporters, led by their cheerleader Chris “Romario” Musekiwa, said they had lost a pillar of strength.

“We have learnt with profound sadness the untimely passing on of Dynamos assistant coach and club legend Biggie Zuze,’’ said Musekiwa.

“His sudden death is a huge loss to the Dynamos family and the football fraternity at large.

“We will forever remember him as a disciplined and brilliant team player during his playing days.

“As Dynamos supporters we salute our departed legend for his immense contribution as a dedicated player and later as a coach.’’

His shock death comes just a few days after a sombre atmosphere engulfed the Dynamos offices at the National Sports Stadium yesterday as one of the survivors of the accident, which claimed nine supporters in 2016, gave a chilling account of what happened on the day.

Nine DeMbare fans lost their lives while 16 were injured, two of them seriously, when the kombi they were travelling in burst a rear tyre, rolled several times before landing on its roof at the 173-kilometre peg near Battlefields on June 11, 2016.

They were on their way to Gweru to cheer their team in a league match against Chapungu at Ascot.

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