The late Mkoma Simba sitting between Joey Antipas and Charles Dhliwayo (front row).
Sakheleni Nxumalo, Football Writer
His death has been described by Zimbabwe Soccer Coaches Association (Bulawayo Province) secretary Morris Mukwiti as a huge loss for local football.
“I am deeply saddened by the death of football administrator and one of the founders of Njube Sundowns, Simba Mutubuki. He contributed greatly to junior development and as the Njube community we have lost an icon,” said Mukwiti.
Chicken Inn juniors coach Charles Dhliwayo described the late Mutubuki as being very passionate about the game of football.
He said: “He was so passionate about the game and did not like losing. When we won he would be so ecstatic and would celebrate with the boys but when we lost he would become stressed. What I liked about him was that he was a straight talker and would not beat about the bush but tell it like it is.”
Ajax Hotspurs director Siphambaniso Dube said the late Mutubuki had done a lot to develop grassroots football and was in the same league as some of Bulawayo’s revered football developers.
“What I can say about Mkoma Simba is that Bulawayo has lost so much because when we look critically he was in the same league as the likes of Ali Baba Dube in terms of football development.
He was quiet a character and would leave people in stitches with his jokes but his dedication to football development was second to none. It will be difficult for the Njube community to find someone of his ilk,” said Dube.
Besides being part of the now defunct Njube Sundowns and Chicken Inn, Mkoma Simba was at one time the director of juniors outfit Boys Without and chairman of Njube United, a team that campaigned in the Bulawayo Province Second Division and was at one time owned by Rahman Gumbo’s father.
