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Morupule Wanderers Football Club head of communications, Thabo Rapula has revealed that the club is doing everything in its hands to make sure that their former coach, the late Rahman Gumbo is given a befitting burial at his native home in Zimbabwe.
The coach’s demise which is suspected to be as a result of heart attack came merely days after the club has parted ways with him. The legendary coach is reported to have collapsed at his home in Palapye on Thursday and passed away at a Francistown Hospital on Friday.
In an interview, Rapula confirmed that the club will ensure that the deceased coach is given a befitting burial noting that the paper work process to allow for his body to be transported to Zimbabwe is ongoing.
“If all processes go as planned, the coach will be buried in Bulawayo tomorrow (Saturday) or on Sunday. Again, I want to confirm that the club will do all to ensure Gumbo is buried with dignity because after all he was our coach and we cannot forsake him or his family at this difficult time,” he told Times Sports.
Zacharia Muzadzi who was Gumbo’s assistant at Morupule Wanderers appreciated the club for the gesture it extended to the deceased’s family from the time he was reported ill and after his demise. Muzadzi said though the club had parted ways with Gumbo two days before his demise it has taken the responsibility from the first day he was admitted at Palapye hospital until his demise in Francistown on Friday.
“I am still overwhelmed by their gesture because they practical did everything as if the coach was still contracted to them. When I called them and informed them of the illness of the coach, they never hesitated to come running and immediately arranged for necessary interventions to cater for his medical bills until the coach was referred to Francistown,” he said.
Meanwhile Gaborone United Director Nicolas Zakhem expressed his heartfelt condolences to the Gumbo family and appreciated the coach for his previous time at the club noting that Gumbo coached The Reds from 2014-16 and won the Mascom Top 8 title in 2015.
Zakhem indicated that the great moment with the former gaffer, is when Gaborone United came from 1-0 down to beat traditional rivals Township Rollers 2-1 through goals from Ntesang Simanyana and Benson Shilongo to win the Mascom Top 8 cup.
“He was such a humble person and very hardworking. He was passionate about football, and I really enjoyed working with him during his stay at the club. We had mutual respect, and I was pleased to see him coming back here to coach Sua Flamingoes and Morupule Wanderers most recently,” he said.
Botswana and Zimbabwe continues to mourn the sudden demise of the seasoned coach who died at 57. Gumbo had a successful coaching career spanning over two decades in which he won a lot of silverware with clubs in both Botswana, Zimbabwe as well as in the region.
