BY ENOCK MUCHINJO
HARARE – To many, Nelson Mukuvare was an engaging, knowledgeable, and sometimes outspoken participant in Zimbabwe’s most active cricket fans WhatsApp group.
He never held back on his opinion, either expertly analysing the Zimbabwe national team’s often substandard performances, or firing broadsides at the much-criticised suits who govern the game in his country.
With his wry sense of humour, it’s fair to say Mukuvare was the group’s number one entertainer, and the most active.
Despite living in Australia, where he worked and studied, the 28-year-old from Zimbabwe’s Lowveld region – known to friends as Nelly – made fellow members of the “Zim Cricket Family” group felt like they personally knew him well.
It therefore came as a great shock to learn of Nelly’s sudden passing in Perth a fortnight ago.
His grieving family in Zimbabwe has appealed for help to raise funds to repatriate his body for burial in Chiredzi, his hometown.
Mukuvare graduated with a Business Management and Marketing degree from Murdoch University in Perth. At the time of his death, he was now doing a post-graduate diploma in construction whilst working in hospitality at Crown Perth, an upmarket resort. On the WhatsApp group, he often posted selfies of him with celebrities who would have come to his workplace.
He was raised in the Lowveld town of Chiredzi, south-east Zimbabwe, attending Hippo Valley Estates Primary, a top local school. The seed of sport was sown there.
Sport became more and more part of Nelly’s life in senior school when he was enrolled at Kyle College, a sporty private school in nearby Masvingo.
“He loved every sport,” older brother Foster Mukuvare told SportsCast this week.
“Formula 1, basketball, NFL, football – he supported Manchester United. And of course rugby and cricket. He played hockey in high school and represented Masvingo province at Under-19 level. He played cricket as well for a very long time, in primary and high school. He was hoping to become a sports analyst one day. He was self-taught, he had natural talent for reading and understanding the game. Nelson always wanted to do coaching badges and break into European football. It scared him, the thought of him possibly achieving such a dream. But he was slowly building his confidence.”
On top of his good fashion sense, Nelly was outgoing and made many friends.
Nelly’s deep knowledge of different sporting codes made him take a liking for sports betting, and he would proudly post his wager and earnings on the group, much to the amazement of participants.
He will be remembered in both Zimbabwe and Australia as a charismatic free-spirit who was bold, adventurous and highly ambitious.
