The Sunday Mail
Sports Reporter
ZIFA life member Cornelius Bwanya has been described as a man who lived and breathed football until the minute he died at West End hospital in Harare yesterday morning.
Bwanya, who was a father to the late CAPS United chairman, Shepherd, was diabetic.
“Burial arrangements will be announced in due course,” said family spokesperson Gamaliel Bwanya.
Mourners are gathered at Number 19 Howman Road, Mbare-National.
ZIFA communications and competitions manager Xolisani Gwesela described him as a fountain of football knowledge and expressed sadness at Bwanya’s death.
“The Zimbabwe Football Association has learnt with great consternation of the passing of our Life Member Cornelius Bwanya.
“Mr Bwanya was a fountain of football knowledge. Whenever you met him, he would always lecture you on football administration and best practises in the administration of the beautiful game.
“It is painful to lose such a doyen of administration. On behalf of ZIFA and the football family, we extend our condolences to his family.
“May his dear soul rest in eternal peace,’’ Gwesela said.
The veteran administrator’s nephew ,Makomborero Mutimukulu, said the family had lost a gigantic figure who was an oasis of calmness even at the most difficult moments.
“A great man indeed, one who wasn’t ours alone. We shared him with his other families — Zanu PF and football.
“His home was always full of people who came for his wise counsel on matters ranging from personal matters, to politics and every aspect of the beautiful game.
“His death is really a tough one for the family coming as it does soon after Shepherd’s death last year.
“However, the old man somehow saw it coming and tried to prepare us for it. Of late meetings with him always had the “when I am no longer here” theme to it.
“Quite unfortunate that he has departed at a time when Zimbabwean football needed him more than before. His football law expertise would have come in handy at such a time,” he said.
Bwanya was also a former secretary of the Northern Region back in the days when ZIFA only had two zones, the Southern and Northern Region.
Those were the days when clubs like Cosco, Smirnoff Tigers, Screentone, Zimbabwe Crackers, Rufaro Rovers were rocking in his Division One.
Northern Region chairman Martin Kweza said his league had been saddened to learn about Bwanya’s death.
“Mudhara Cornelius was one of the founding fathers of the Northern Region, for which he was secretary-general back in the days when there were only two zones, the Northern and the Southern.
“He will be remembered as an affable, hardworking administrator who had a particular interest in ZIFA’s constitutional matters and this saw him dedicate time to travel around the country on constitutional review business.
“His love and passion for football also transcended to his late son Shepherd who was a distinguished chairman of CAPS United Football Club.
“As Northern Region we mourn with the Bwanya family and the local football fraternity on the loss of an elder who was never shy to share his wise counsel on matters football and who always preached stability at ZIFA.
“May His Dear Soul Rest in Eternal Peace,’’ Kweza said.
Women football administrator Theresa Maguraushe said: “It is sad and painful. We have lost a constitutional guru’’.
