…As football fraternity mourns the late Cuthbert ‘Adhazhi’ Kwangwari
Fredrick Moyo/ Emmanuel Chitsika
Masvingo soccer legends have expressed dismay over the devastating loss and void in the football fraternity created by the passing on of legendary coach and KC Academy director Cuthbert ‘Adhazhi’ Kwangwari who was laid to rest at Mangwandi cemetery in Masvingo on March 15.
Speaking at the burial of the late Kwangwari, Chidaushe Mudadi goalkeeper for Legends Team (to which Kwangwari was part of) said life was never going to be the same and football in Masvingo had suffered a great loss’ that will be difficult to close.
“Soccer in Masvingo will never be the same without Cuthbert Kwangwari. He is the person behind nurturing a lot of soccer talent in Masvingo. He is someone who was full of passion for the sport, was into soccer for soccer without considering any financial benefit out of it. He was now in the process of nurturing youthful soccer players from tender age of 12 up to 17.
“Such an initiative was critical in occupying the youth whose minds would lie idle. Occupying them through sport would ensure they are kept away from drugs and any other risky behaviors. His roles in society is/was thus critical and his passing on has left a scar in the minds of the community he was serving. The position you gave me as a goalkeeper, I will keep it until we meet again,” said Mudadi.
Long serving ZIFA Eastern Region soccer Administrator Tedious Machawira said the whole country and soccer fraternity lost a good man who was an advisor to most people and had passion for the sport.
“The whole soccer fraternity in the country has lost a good man. Cuthbert was an icon and no one could take that from him. The gap that he left is huge and I do not think we would find a person who would do what he was doing.
“It will take some time to maybe fill the gap that he left because of what he did in the province in terms of pushing and growing the young ones. Junior football have been severely affected by the death of Cuthbert. What also shows that Cuthbert had passion for soccer is the manner and place where he died. He died doing what he liked and loved the most,” said Machawira.
ZIFA Eastern Region chairperson Davison Muchena said he lost a brother and very close person whom they worked with together and attended coaching courses together and the death of Adhazhi has greatly affected the soccer fraternity in the province.
“For me it’s like I have lost a brother. We worked together as coaches while we were both coaching in the same division and attended coaching courses together starting from level one up to three. Adhazhi had passion for the sport. As time went on he came up with an Academy where he trained juniors and nurture talent and that is what he was doing at the time of his death.
“The death of Adhazhi has greatly affected the soccer fraternity, the loss is just too much for the province. Most of these young coaches used to get advice from this man, the likes of Ezekiel Mutoda and even his younger brother Kwangwari got most of the skills from him,” said Muchena.
He added that Adhazhi nurtured many talented players during his coaching period and his death has affected football in general as no one can take over from what he was doing.
“Adhazhi groomed many players during his coaching days and now he was doing it from the juniors. His death means that all those Academies and the skills he had have all gone with him, all the advice we used to get from the old man we cannot get it any more.
“Now there is need for someone to rise and fill the shoes and take over from the projects that he had but time will tell if there is anyone who is that clever and who have the passion like Adhazhi,” added Muchena.
Former Masvingo United player Isaac Chapura also said he was devastated by the passing on of the legend who became a nomadic coach during his hey days.
“I first got to know about Kwangwari around 1996 when he used to coach and play at Kismet FC and by then we joined the junior team. The way he would coach and sometimes come off the bench to join the team on field of play just inspired as we emulated how he would go about his business. He did his coaching courses after which he coached teams like ZRP, Nyika United and Masvingo United.
“He was a fatherly figure who earned the respect of every soccer player or follower even during his last days we played together in the legends team. He is someone who was generous and prepared to share with others. He had already started his academy and hopefully God will render a helping hand so that people left at the academy follow his footsteps for the sake of continuity,” said Chapura.
Adhazhi was never selfish and segregative to all those who embraced the beautiful game of soccer in Masvingo according to another former Una Una player Elisha ‘Lacto’ Masvaya as his aim was to nurture and develop soccer players.
“Kwangwari was a good character who would not discriminate players but his will was to nurture and develop players, like you witnessed that by the time he passed on, he was grooming young soccer players. We just wish the city gets a replacement in the mould of Kwangwari for the development of the sport.
“He is our hero in the game. His death came as a stab on the soft spot for football players and fanatics. Soccer has been greatly robbed. He gave us a stepping stone through soccer and now some of us are able to earn a living from playing the game and credit goes to Kwangwari,” said Masvaya.
Adhazhi died on March 13, 2022, collapsed and died while coaching his youthful side KC Academy at Mucheke stadium’s B Arena and was pronounced dead upon arrival at Masvingo Provincial Hospital.
He is survived by his wife, two daughters, a son as well as four grandchildren.
