Ex-Warriors confront Zifa VP over Kasinauyo
By Austin Karonga
Zifa vice president Omega Sibanda had a torrid time at Edzai Kasinauyo’s funeral as former Warriors players took him to task over the association’s treatment of the late footballer and agent.
Kasinauyo passed away in South Africa after a heart failure and was buried at Glen Forest Cemetery last Saturday.
Former Warriors players comprising Peter Ndlovu, Harlington Shereni, Edelbert Dinha, Benjani Mwaruwari, George Mbwando were incensed with the way Zifa tainted Kasinauyo’s image and that of Ian Gorowa after false match-fixing allegations last year led to their suspension from football.
Kasinauyo, Gorowa, Hwange coach Nation Dube and Henrietta Rushwaya were all accused to have tried to manipulate the Warriors 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Swaziland.
Zifa president Philip Chiyangwa made the allegations after a whistle blower Leeroy Waguta came forward with information.
The case fell apart after Waguta failed to provide tangible evidence to prove a case against the accused.
However, the damage had already been done with Kasinauyo losing significant business while Gorowa told the Daily News that he contemplated committing suicide.
The Daily News understands that Mwaruwari led the confrontation at Kasinauyo’s residence with the other ex-Zimbabwe players joining in to eject Sibanda out of the VIP tent.
In the end, the Zifa vice-president was only allowed to make a short speech.
One of the ex-Warriors players said they confronted Sibanda because they wanted to send a strong message to Zifa that retired footballers must be treated with respect.
“Omega tried to exonerate himself saying as the vice president the decision was not his but we told him whether he says it’s Chiyangwa or who else what we wanted for them was to treat former players with respect,” one of the players told the Daily News.
“These allegations were very damaging to Edzai and even before we came for Edzai’s burial we nearly lost Dibango because he got hospitalised after his blood pressure shot up and that’s why we were very angry with Omega.”
Sibanda tried in vain to call the players on Sunday when they went on to visit legendary Dynamos forward George Shaya at his home in Glen Norah.
The Zifa vice president tried to call Footballers’ Union of Zimbabwe (Fuz) president Desmond Maringwa for him to mediate in the misunderstanding but the former Warriors players refused.
Sibanda denied that he had been confronted by the former players and claimed he was accorded an opportunity to give a long speech.
“I don’t know anything about that, who is saying those things, can you name the player who is saying that?” he told the Daily News.
“All I can say is that I was at the funeral together with the (Zifa) acting-chief executive (Joseph Mamutse), (Philimon) Machana and some Zifa employees and no one ever threatened us. I even gave a speech that was almost five to eight minutes long.” Daily News
