By Stephen Phiri in LUSAKA, Zambia
FORMER Dynamos coach Keagan Mumba has died. Mumba, who was also one of Zambia’s most dynamic coaches, died on Saturday night at Lusaka Trust Hospital after an illness. He was 53.
Mumba’s close friend, Wilson Katenge, confirmed the death in Lusaka yesterday. Katenge, who is also Young Zanaco assistant coach, said Mumba died at around 10pm on Saturday. Mumba had been sick since last December.
The Zambian coach first took charge of Zimbabwean champions Dynamos in March 2003 and he wrote his own piece of history in December of the same year when he became the first foreign mentor to lift a trophy at DeMbare after they won the Zifa Unity Cup.
At the beginning of the 2004 season, Mumba was at the centre of a wrangle with Dynamos and Black Rhinos with the latter side claiming that the Zambian had taken over the hot seat at the Zimbabwean army side.
Mumba briefly coached Black Rhinos before returning to Dynamos in May 2004, claiming that he had been given a raw deal by the army side.
A nomadic coach, Mumba later on dumped Dynamos and crossed the Limpopo River to coach South African side Zulu Royals in July 2004 but he returned to Zimbabwe towards the end of the same year to take charge of army side Green Buffaloes.
Mumba also coached the now-defunct Zimbabwean Premiership side Shooting Stars before he returned home to Zambia where he took charge of several clubs here until his untimely death on Saturday night.
And the Zambian football fraternity has described Mumba’s death as shocking.
Before falling ill, Mumba was among 25 coaches that attended the Confederation of African Football A coaching course in Lusaka.
He completed the first phase but was unable to complete the second phase due to illness.
Mumba, a journalist by profession, is survived by a wife Florence and five children.
The funeral is being held at his house in Lusaka’s Kanyama, opposite Kanyama Police Station.
Mumba joined Zanaco in 2012 and went on to win the MTN Super Division title the same year.
Zanaco represented Zambia in the 2013 Caf Champions League but were booted out in the first round by South African side Orlando Pirates.
Pirates won 1-0 in Lusaka and 2-1 in Johannesburg to progress to the second round 3-1 on aggregate.
Mumba was suspended by Zanaco last September for allegedly insubordination before he was relieved of his duties last month. The Football Association of Zambia also handed Mumba a three-month suspension last year for allegedly bringing the name of the game into disrepute.
Mumba also coached City of Lusaka, Green Eagles, Green Buffaloes and Konkola Blades.
Mumba also tutored Zimbabwean sides Dynamos and Black Rhinos.
While acting as Buffaloes coach in 2005, Mumba guided the Zambian army side to winning the Mosi Cup. Buffaloes beat Red Arrows 2-1 in the final.
Mumba led the Zambian Under-20 national team to winning the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (Cosafa) Youth Championship in 2011 in Botswana. The junior Chipolopolo beat Angola 2-1 in the final.
He, however, could not lead the junior Chipolopolo to the 2013 Africa Youth Championship finals as the Zambians lost 5-2 on aggregate to Mali.
And FAZ president Kalusha Bwalya described Mumba as a very talented footballer and one of the products of Zambia schools programme.
In a statement released in Lusaka yesterday by communications manager Nkweto Tembwe, Kalusha said Mumba’s contribution to the development of the game at all levels and beyond is undoubted and that the football fraternity in Zambia has lost a useful cog and voice.
Mumba featured for the Zambia schools team, Green Buffaloes and the national team.
“We appreciate his contribution and effort to the game. We at Football House would like to send our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends and we pray to God the Almighty to comfort his family in this trying moment,” Kalusha said. The Herald