Bosso patron Tafi Ziyabuya Moyo dies at 108

By Sikhumbuzo Moyo

BULAWAYO – Long serving Highlanders patron Tafi Ziyabuya Moyo has died. He was aged 108. Moyo died at Bulawayo’s Mater Dei Hospital in the early hours of yesterday morning after being admitted to the health institution about two weeks ago due to complications associated with old age.

Family spokesperson and one of Moyo’s sons, Lungile, confirmed his father’s death and said while the family was naturally in mourning, they were also celebrating a life well lived.

“He was a larger than life character,” said Moyo.

He said funeral arrangements were yet to be finalised but burial was likely to be on Saturday at Lady Stanley Cemetery where the late Moyo’s two wives were laid to rest.

“If all goes well without major disturbances, ubaba will be laid to rest on Saturday at Lady Stanley Cemetery,” said Lungile who was in the company of his elder brother Hlomani.

When Chronicle Sport visited the family home in Famona suburb late afternoon yesterday, people were already paying condolences with Highlanders board president Jonathan Mhlanga among the mourners.

Bulawayo’s Minister of State for Provincial Affairs Nomthandazo Moyo and former diplomat Ambassador Phelekezela Mphoko later joined mourners at the family home.

Highlanders board of directors secretary Jimmy Ncube said Bosso is now poorer without Moyo.

“His story at Highlanders is just too long. He did a lot for this club including turning his O Square house in Mzilikazi into a clubhouse where the team could put on kit before a game. I sincerely want to convey our heartfelt condolences to the Moyo and the entire Highlanders family. We are poorer now without him,” said Ncube.

Mourners are gathered at House Number 91 Matopos Road, Famona.

In 2006, Moyo celebrated his 100th birthday with President Mugabe among the dignitaries that attended the celebrations held at the ZITF Grounds.

Speaking during the occasion, President Mugabe said Moyo was an ancestor of the liberation struggle who supported the nationalist movement in Matabeleland by raising funds from his business for freedom fighters through the sale of goats, cattle and crops.

“We needed him for the struggle. We needed his transport. We needed his money also. He was not just Baba Tafi to us. No. Wayesinika ukudla. We walked a long, long march together with this old man. The tribulations, the suffering, the deprivation that he went through were even more in some cases than the deprivation that we went through because he had properties and we had no properties at all.

“And being older than ourselves, he had a much bigger family to mind, but some of us were younger fellows with only perhaps a wife and children. But he continued to assist us in the struggle until we attained independence,” President Mugabe said in his speech on that joyful afternoon in July 2006.

Also in attendance on that occasion were the late former Zanu-PF national chairmen and State Vice Presidents Joseph Msika and Landa John Nkomo.

Moyo at one time in the 1950s spent 10 years in jail after he bought the late Vice President Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo a ticket for 350 pounds to London for the liberation movement activities.

Moyo was one of the pioneer black businessmen and in August 1987, he received a civic award from the City of Bulawayo for his contribution to the improvement of community life, development of sport and for his role in the struggle for an Independent Zimbabwe.

Speaking about Highlanders on the eve of his celebrations in 2006, Moyo said he started supporting the club in the 1920s when it was still known as Lions.

“When the founders of the team, Albert and Rhodes Khumalo (King Lobengula’s sons) went to South Africa and everyone abandoned the team, I started taking care of it,” said Moyo then.

His Mzilikazi house was the Highlanders home until they bought the Luveve guest house, known as Hotel California. The Chronicle