By Onward Gangata
FORMER Chapungu football club player and coach, Tawanda Marimo was on Wednesday laid to rest at Mutasa cemetery in Gweru.
Scores of mourners, including former players, coaches, football administrators and supporters gave Marimo a befitting send off.
A funeral parade was held at the Josiah Tungamirai Air force base in honour of the former Waru Waru defender.
After that, his body was taken to the GAFA grounds in Mtapa, where Marimo cut his football umbilical cord, playing junior football.
The procession proceeded to Ascot stadium,the facility that Marimo carved a name for himself amongst Chapungu greats.
It was at Ascot stadium that Marimo made his mark in the gold and blue of Chapungu, breaking into the first team in the late 90s.
He etched his name into the club’s folklore, earning himself the right to play alongside club greats such as Maxwell Dube, Phillip Marufu, Alfonso Mugovera, Innocent Chogugudza, Cain and Abel Muteji, Dumisani Mufudza and many more.
Coaches and teammates speak
One of Marimo’s former teammates and coach, Joseph Michaels said his loss was a huge blow to the club.
“We have lost a very promising coach in Tawanda Marimo,” Michaels said.
“I considered him a young brother, having played together with him briefly before my retirement.
“We then worked together when I came back as a coach, he was a fine player and colleague to be around, this is a huge loss.”
Former Chapungu coach, Perkins Nyamutamba described Marimo as a very disciplined player during his days.
He also added that Marimo was a good coach who had perfect understanding of the game and was destined for greater heights.
“I coached him during the time that he broke into the team, when I took over from Misheck Marimo,” Nyamutamba said.
“He was very quiet, but on the pitch, he gave his all, and had good understanding of the game.
“Even when he ventured into coaching, he was very focused, he held several roles and worked with different coaches as an assistant until his turn to take over as coach came.
“The most outstanding thing was his dedication and loyalty to Chapungu, this void will be difficult to fill.”
Hardrock coach, Calvin Maphosa, who was close to Marimo, from their playing days as juniors, said he was devasted to lose a friend and a competitor.
“We come a long way with Tawanda, he played for Ndlovu juniors,and I was from Mkoba with junior teams that side,” he recalled.
“So we featured in the same under 19 team at provincial level, he went to Chapungu, and I joined Tongogara.
“We also took the same path into coaching and i am at loss of words because he was a coach whose career looked promising.”
ZIFA vice president, Kenny Ndebele was in attendance, he thanked the Airforce of Zimbabwe for giving Marimo a hero’s send off.
“I would like to applaud Chapungu football club and the Air force of Zimbabwe for what they have done, giving one of their own a befitting send off,” he said.
Marimo died on Monday afternoon at Gweru General Hospital after a short illness.
He was 47.
At the time of his death, he was the head coach at the former premiership side.
