ZIFA President: Highlanders Do Not Grieve Alone

We gather today with hearts that are heavy.
Barbourfields Stadium has always been a place of passion, pride and celebration.
It is the spiritual home of Highlanders Football Club, a place where memories have been created, where generations have united behind one badge, and where football has brought joy to countless Zimbabweans.
Today, however, this great stadium carries a different emotion. It carries the weight of profound loss.
We have come together to bid farewell to four cherished members of our football family: Colonel Kenneth Mhlophe, Nkani Khoza, Sifiso Siziba and Mbalenhle Sibanda.
On behalf of the Zimbabwe Football Association, our Executive Committee, Secretariat, players, coaches, referees and the entire football fraternity, I extend our deepest condolences to the bereaved families, to Highlanders Football Club and to the people of Bulawayo.
Today, we mourn with you.
We grieve with you.
And today, we stand with you.

Before I say anything further, allow me to express our heartfelt appreciation to His Excellency, President Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, and to the Government of Zimbabwe for the compassion and support shown during this difficult time.
The decision to accord Colonel Kenneth Mhlophe, Nkani Khoza, Sifiso Siziba and Mbalenhle Sibanda State-Assisted Funerals is a fitting recognition of lives devoted to service.
It is a reminder that service to football is service to community, and service to community is service to the nation.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Football has an extraordinary power.
It has the power to inspire.
It has the power to unite.
And, as we have witnessed over the past few days, it has the power to comfort.
This tragedy has reminded us that while clubs may compete fiercely on the field, there are moments when the badge on the jersey no longer matters.
Over the past few days, we have witnessed supporters from clubs around the country putting rivalries aside.
We have seen football administrators, former players, current players, sponsors, government officials and ordinary Zimbabweans united by one purpose – to stand with Highlanders in its darkest hour.
That is the true spirit of football.
That is the Zimbabwe we all believe in.

Today, the Zimbabwe Football Association stands shoulder to shoulder with Highlanders Football Club.
We stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of Bulawayo.
We stand shoulder to shoulder with every grieving family.
And we stand shoulder to shoulder with the entire Zimbabwe football family.
Your grief is not yours to bear alone. It belongs to all of us.

Today, we remember four lives that served this game with distinction.
Colonel Kenneth Mhlophe was a man of discipline, honour and unwavering commitment. He gave selflessly to Highlanders Football Club and also served Zimbabwe as Head of Delegation for the Warriors.
Many of our national team’s successes were made possible by dedicated individuals who worked quietly behind the scenes, and Colonel Mhlophe was one of them. Zimbabwean football salutes his remarkable contribution.

We also remember Sifiso Siziba.
He was not only Highlanders Vice Chairman, but served as Security Officer for the Warriors, fulfilling a responsibility that required dedication, professionalism and complete trust. His work was rarely seen by the public, but those who travelled with our national team knew the important role he played. Zimbabwean football is grateful for his faithful service.

Today, we also honour Nkani Khoza, Highlanders Football Club’s Executive Member responsible for Finance. His work demanded integrity, accountability and sound leadership. He understood that behind every successful football institution are individuals willing to work tirelessly, often without recognition, to ensure that the club continues to grow. He gave his knowledge, his experience and his time to the institution he loved.

We also celebrate the life of Mbalenhle Sibanda.
She held no executive office. She carried no official title. Yet she was every bit as important to Zimbabwean football. She was not only a devoted Highlanders Life Member, she was also a passionate supporter of the Warriors.
Supporters are the heartbeat of our game. Without them, there is no atmosphere. Without them, there is no inspiration. Mbalenhle represented the thousands of Zimbabweans whose love for football asks for nothing in return except the opportunity to support their club and their country. Today, we honour her loyalty, her passion and her unwavering love for the beautiful game.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
The measure of a person’s life is not found in the number of years they lived.
It is found in the lives they touched.
That is why Zimbabwe mourns today.
These four individuals touched lives.
They gave of themselves.
They served faithfully.
And they leave behind a legacy that will endure.

To the bereaved families, there are no words that can truly ease your pain.
There are no words that can replace those you have lost.
But I hope you draw comfort from knowing that they lived lives of purpose.
Their names are now woven into the history of Highlanders Football Club.
Their names are woven into the history of the Warriors.
Their names are woven into the history of Zimbabwean football.
And they will never be forgotten.

To Highlanders Football Club, you have suffered a painful loss.
You have lost leaders.
You have lost trusted colleagues.
You have lost loyal servants.
But please know this.
You do not walk this journey alone. The Zimbabwe Football Association stands with you.
The football family stands with you. The people of Zimbabwe stand with you.

As we prepare to lay these four remarkable individuals to rest, let us honour them not only with our tears but with our actions.
Let us continue to build a football family rooted in unity, respect, integrity and compassion.
Let us continue to look after one another.
Let us never lose sight of the truth that football is, above all else, about people.
If this tragedy has taught us anything, it is that life is precious, unity is powerful and service leaves a legacy that lives far beyond our time on earth.

To Colonel Kenneth Mhlophe, Nkani Khoza, Fiso Siziba and Mbalenhle Sibanda:
Thank you for your service.
Thank you for your sacrifice.
Thank you for your love for Highlanders Football Club.
Thank you for your love for the Warriors.
Thank you for your love for Zimbabwe.
You have run your race with honour.

May the Almighty grant your families comfort and strength in the days ahead.
I thank you.

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