The body of Malawi’s veteran football administrator Hastings Kapenuka will be laid to rest Thursday at Katimba Cemetery in Limbe.
Kapenuka, who served in several influential football positions, died at Mwaiwathu Private Hospital in Malawi’s commercial city, Blantyre, after a short illness on Tuesday afternoon.
A family member on Wednesday confirmed that following consultations, it was agreed that body of the late Kapenuka should be laid to rest at Katimba Cemetery which is next to Limbe CCAP Church where he was an elder.
Meanwhile, Football Association of Malawi (FAM) president Walter Nyamilandu and Mighty Wanderers chairperson George Chamangwana described Kapenuka’s death as a big blow to the soccer fraternity.
“I received the news with a heavy heart. He was a father-figure in football administration. He also saved the Southern Region Football League (SRFL) when it was almost extinct.
“I am at a loss for words because we have lost somebody who was passionate about the game in the country across all levels. He was my team manager during my playing days at [Mighty] Wanderers.
“I last met him at Mwaiwathu Hospital two weeks ago and he had a smile on his face. We had a good chat and little did I know that he was saying bye,” mourned Nyamilandu.
Chamangwana also paid tribute to the departed football administrator.
“He was one of the few people who passionately managed Wanderers at a time the club had no sponsorship in the 1980s and we’ll greatly miss him,” said Chamangwana.
Fellow administrator at Wanderers Henry Chibowa, also said the deceased deserved a decent burial befitting his contribution to the game.
Apart from serving as team manager for Wanderers and chairperson of the SRFL, Kapenuka served as FAM executive member and he was once president of the Super League of Malawi. He also played as a left-back for Admarc Tigers [now Azam Tigers] in the 1990s alongside late Jonathan Billie, Tito Chakwawa, Eric Chowe, Sostein Zakazaka, Dave Muphuwa, Vivian Damalekani and Clement Mkwalula.
He came from Balaka.
Meanwhile, mourners are gathered at his Kanjedza Township home.
