FC PLATINUM skipper Brian Banda, who tragically died in a car accident on Sunday, was laid to rest yesterday at Lady Stanley Cemetery in Bulawayo.
The ceremony drew a large crowd from across the country, including prominent figures from the football community and government.
The burial was attended by Zifa president Nqobile Magwizi, accompanied by his deputy Kennedy Ndebele, alongside government officials, Bulawayo councillors and residents.
FC Platinum supporters and fans from various clubs also thronged Lady Stanley to pay their last respects to Banda.
In a poignant tribute, Magwizi expressed the profound grief felt by the football community.
“It is with great pain that we gather here today because of Brian Banda, whose life was cut short in a car accident on Sunday,” he said.
“There are no words that can ever fully capture the grief. No truth, not enough, no speech can cater for the pain that a young man, a husband, a teammate, a leader, [brought] every time he stepped onto the pitch.”
Magwizi extended condolences to Banda’s wife and family, assuring them of continued support from the association and the nation.
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The Zifa president also highlighted Banda’s consistent call-ups to the national team as a testament to his quality and character.
FC Platinum coach Norman Mapeza shared a deeply personal tribute, describing Banda as a son.
“Today I do not speak to you as a coach. I speak as someone who has lost a son of the game, a young man whose boots left more than just footprints on the pitch, but a legacy in our hearts,” Mapeza said.
He lauded Banda’s pivotal role in the team, referring to him at the rhythm of the team in the middle of the park, who made the game look effortless.
Mapeza described Banda as every coach’s dream player and every teammate’s desired companion.
He also recalled Banda’s pride, honour and humility while representing Zimbabwe on the international stage, stating that he made FC Platinum proud and carried the hopes of the nation.
Elkanah Dube, a Highlanders board member, spoke glowingly of the midfielder, who is survived by his wife Sheila, two daughters and a son.
Former Highlanders gaffer Mandla Mpofu made the journey from Botswana to bid farewell to Banda, whom he coached as an assistant to Mandinda Ndlovu and later as head coach.
“It’s a sad moment in Zimbabwe football. I was privileged enough to coach him with coach Madinda. What a humble young man,” Mpofu said.
“He was very talented, playing for two big clubs in the country and representing at national level, it shows he had unbelievable talent.
“If we speak of yesteryear great midfielders, Brian’s name will not be left out.”
A former teammate at Highlanders and Warriors’ striker, now with Tanzania champions Young Africans, Prince Dube was visibly emotional while bidding farewell to Banda.
The burial was also attended by Rodwell Tabe, acting chief executive officer of the Premier Soccer League, Sam Dzvimbu of the Sports and Recreation Commission and other sports leaders, along with players from FC Platinum, Highlanders, and Chicken Inn.
