Lunch with Edzai Kasinauto

THE late Edzai Kasinauyo had plans to set up a foundation and believed his persecution over the Limpopogate match fixing scandal was a sign that God was preparing him for bigger assignments.

As we had lunch at Wonderful Restaurant along Churchill Road in Harare sometime in March the former Warriors midfielder opened up on all things football and more.

However, Kasinauyo was quick to emphasise that it was not for publication.

"Mako Gold I am telling you this so that you appreciate the man I am, I know me and you have never had a chance to talk and get to know each other," he said.

Soon after Kasinauyo had laid down the agenda former Women's Football boss Mavis Gumbo passed through and had a dig at us.

"What are you guys talking about? Do you know your heads have funny shapes?

"Anyway whatever you are talking about I hope it is about developing the game and not killing it…we don't want fights," said Gumbo.

That was the last Gumbo saw Kasinauyo and yesterday she expressed her shock.

"Haa mwana uye asikana, andirwadza. Painful, very painful," she said.

It was also the last I saw of Edzai and when Mike Madoda told me that the guy had passed on I decided to break a promise.

Yes Kasinauyo said what we talked about was not for public consumption but some of his thoughts cannot be buried with him.

He needs to speak, one last time.

I have a duty to tell this story and if Edzai gets annoyed from the world yonder, well, we will settle matters when my time to leave this realm comes.

Claiming to have been close to Kasinauyo will be mischievous of me.

In this job you are close to some and not so close to some.

With Edzai we were not buddies but on this day we left the table full and committed to continuously touching base.

"Ndati titaure bhora mwene. (I just said let's meet and talk about football," the player agent who would go on to die in South Africa at 42 said after we had veggie rice and some roasted beef strips.

I asked questions and he answered truthfully.

So how do you feel now that the courts have cleared you of match fixing?

"Relieved because it was taxing. Even though I knew that I was innocent I had to fight and clear my name and that took a lot of effort.

"But you know I am also thankful because this whole ordeal made me realise who my true friends are and going forward I will know how to interact with people," he said.

Are you a bitter man?

"No not really bitterness is corrosive. You know the grace of God cannot take you where it cannot sustain you," said Kasinauyo as he went all spiritual on me.

"I think this was all God's way of preparing me for a bigger assignment. I am stronger now and ready to continue working for the development of the game.

"I want to make an impact on the young kids, not only through football but through education and the arts. I want people to say the Edzai Kasinauyo Foundation is transforming lives."

The former Warriors midfielder also spoke of Leeroy Waguta the man who brought the match fixing claims against him as well as his relationship with Phillip Chiyangwa.

"Oh well that boy haasi munhu webhora Mako Gold, he is not a football person and he had a tough time in court under cross examination.

"He came and sold his story to Chiyangwa and you know PC, when he hears something he wants to act on it quickly and that was the case here.

"However, we are cool with Chiyangwa, I talk to him because some of the things that happened during my tenure at Zifa were beyond him…it was the politics of the game."

The Edzai Kasinauyo Foundation could have been launched earlier but Peter Ndlovu's tight schedule made it impossible.

"I cannot do anything without Peter, he is my brother. As soon as he is available we will launch it and you can write a good story about it."

One thing Edzai Kasinauyo did without Peter was die and leave Zimbabwean football poorer.

Well played mwene, well played!