Gumbo set for big send off

WARRIORS and Highlanders legend Rahman Gumbo is expected to receive a big send off at his burial today at Lady Stanley Cemetery in Bulawayo.

Gumbo, who would have turned 60 today, died at a hospital in Francistown, Botswana on Friday last week after collapsing at his home in Palapye the previous day.

His body arrived in the City of Kings and Queens on Thursday night and was taken to a funeral parlour while a memorial service was held at the Bulawayo Amphitheatre yesterday afternoon.

Former teammate and friend Alexander Maseko, now based in South Africa, is in the country to mourn his late colleague.

"We went to the same school. We played together at that time before joining Highlanders and him joining Eagles. I was a goalkeeper by then and he used to shout at me and say why are you letting the goals in, but I did not want to dive and injure myself because we were playing on gravel," Maseko said.

"It started from there and we ended up meeting at Highlanders. Our friendship started from long back before we joined these big clubs. It is so sad that my friend is gone. I call him a friend, brother I'm heartbroken."

Ephraim Chawanda, captain of the famous Dream Team, fondly remembers Gumbo's blistering long-range shot when the Warriors beat Bafana Bafana in 2003.

"When Rahman came to the Dream Team, there was pressure because there were so many players from Bulawayo in the squad. There were elements who were trying to purge players from Bulawayo. The Bulawayo players' skills and performance always prevailed," he said.

"Rahman was one of the midfielders. If you look back, he was coming into a team where there were prolific players, but some of them were ageing out. Rahman came in and I remember, I think his first game was against South Africa and he scored that long-range drive.

"He came into the team as if he was a junior, but he was more senior to most of us. And where he did well and I am proud to say this. He showed his discipline even when he was a coach. He would go crazy once in a while in the field of play, but his first point when he became a coach was discipline."

Among those who attended the service were Premier Soccer League chief executive officer Kennedy Ndebele, Highlanders chairman Johnfat Sibanda, former Zifa president Vincent Pamire, former vice-chairperson Tendai Madzorera, ex-Zifa Southern Region chairperson Musa Mandaza and former Highlanders chairperson Kenneth Mhlophe, among others.

Chicken Inn secretary Tavengwa Hara also attended the service.

Former Highlanders players Alexander Maseko, Jerry Sibanda, Douglas Mloyi, Zenzo Moyo, Gift Lunga Snr and Jnr, Amin Soma-Phiri, Dream Team players Agent Sawu and skipper Ephraim Chawanda were also in attendance.

Legends from Harare were said to be on their way.