Footballer loses arm in attack

A 30-YEAR-OLD Buffaloes player, Kudzai Mwaramba, is lucky to be alive after his efforts to make peace between two feuding youths over car-wash space in Sakubva saw him losing his left arm in a machete attack.

Mwaramba, a regular player for Eastern Region Division One championship-chasing Buffaloes, bled profusely and was rushed to Mutare Provincial Hospital on Monday night.

Police arrested the suspect, Hardwork Mushati (27), who attempted to flee from the scene soon after committing the crime.  He is now assisting the police with investigations. The incident happened at Masara Garage opposite Sakubva Stadium.

Manicaland provincial police spokesperson Inspector Tavhiringwa Kakohwa said: "Mushati approached Mwaramba who was in the company of his brother, Sandisai at around 4pm. He demanded to operate at the car wash which is located at Masara Garage. The car wash was being run by the two siblings. A misunderstanding arose. Mushati allegedly attempted to crush a water gun.

"He produced a machete and hacked Mwaramba's left wrist. Mushati tried to flee from the scene, but people who were there apprehended him. Police attended the scene and was arrested. Mwaramba was taken to Mutare Provincial Hospital where his hand was amputated."

However, in an interview while in hospital, Mwaramba, said he was trying to restrain Mushati and Sandisai, who were fighting over a car that was parked at the car wash when he was attacked with a machete.

"The incident happened around 5pm on Monday at Masara Service Station near Sakubva Stadium. Hardwork Mushati was arguing with my brother over a vehicle that was parked at a place at which motorists are not allowed to park vehicles. That is when Mushati attacked me with a machete and cut my left arm. I never thought it would end like that. In fact, I am lucky to be alive because I lost a lot of blood. I was weak," he said.

Thelo, as Mwaramba is widely referred to in football circles in Sakubva, said his was not sure if he would continue playing football after the gruesome attack.

"Anyway, I am happy I survived the attack. They (nurses) have been very helpful and they are saying I can have an artificial hand, but it is a bit expensive. I am not sure whether I will continue with my football career after this,'' he said.

But Mushati, who is known as Gad-dafi in Sakubva and Hobhouse where he lives, said the feud was not about car wash space but a longstanding grudge over a girlfriend.

"It is not true that we fought over car wash space. This was a longstanding grudge over a girlfriend. It was between me and a police officer called Magwenzi. We have had numerous fights over that girlfriend. Together with his friends, they used to harass me and threaten me with death. At one point I actually went to Harare but I had to come back because I run a flea market for survival.

"On the fateful day we actually fought for about an hour before I used that machete to scare away a group of people who were fighting me. The machete was not mine but it actually came with Magwenzi and other people who were in a vehicle. Most of them were partially drunk and that is how I managed to wrestle that machete from them, picked it up and used it to scare them. Unfortunately, it landed on Mwaramba's hand as he tried to duck," said Mushati.

Insp Kakohwa urged people to solve disputes amicably rather than resorting to violence.