BONGANI MALUNGA
Zebras hero Mosimanegape Ramohibidu was honoured with a one day charity football tournament dubbed “Doing It For Twyza Charity Cup” this past weekend in Pilikwe. The tournament was organized by the Botswana Football Coaches Association (BFCA) to raise funds for Ramohibidu who is wheelchair bound following a car accident in 2015.
The former Zebras player has been receiving assistance from the football fraternity from the likes of the Botswana Football Association and the Footballers Union of Botswana among others. This latest gesture was made to raise funds for the former player who is seeking financial assistance for further medical attention.
The one day tournament featured BTC Premiership sides Orapa United, Security Systems, Extension Gunners and Morupule Wanderers at the Pilikwe United Grounds. Systems defeated Morupule Wanderers 2-1 in the first semi-final, Gunners and Orapa played to a 1-1 draw in regulation time before Gunners won 5-4 on penalties in the second semi-final. Systems then defeated Gunners 1-0 to win the tournament, overall the organizers managed to raise P13 000. After payments of fees (such as food and payments for sound systems among other obligations) the organizers managed to give Ramohibidu P8000. They revealed that they expect to double the money in next year’s event.
“We would like to thank the BFA President Maclean Letshwiti, Nicholas Zackhem, O3 Beverages, Fobby Radipotsane and also Pilikwe United for providing their ground at no cost. The tournament was a success and we would like to express our gratitude to the clubs that participated in this tournament. Going forward, this will now be an annual tournament and we have already agreed a deal with a new sponsor for next year’s tournament but we will reveal more in due course,” a representative of the Botswana Football Coaches Association told Gazette Sport.
Ramohibidu was a part of the Zebras team which made history by qualifying for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), he plied his trade for the likes of BDF XI, FC Satmos and BMC in the top tier of local football.