Saenda burial at HHI on Saturday: ‘We cannot talk of Malawi netball without mentioning his name’

The body of former  coach of Malawi Queens netball national team late Griffin ‘Zagalo’ Sayenda will be laid to rest on Saturday at H.H.I cemetery in Blantyre, the family has disclosed.

Saenda, who until his death was the Malawi Queens Technical Director and Kukoma Diamond Sisters head coach died at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital  in Blantyre  on Thursday morning where he had been admitted l after suffering from stroke.

He is regarded as one of the country’s most successful netball coaches for both club and National Netball team.  He guided Queens to a historic third-place finish at Fast5 Netball Series in 2017 and won several domestic trophies with Kukoma Diamonds,

Australia-based Malawi Queens shooter Mwai Kumwenda, show as natured by Saenda at Kukoma Diamonds before becoming the country’s first netball export described  the former coach’s death as a “devastating loss.”

Kumwenda took to her Instagram page to pay tribute: ” A huge sense of loss that I feel. To know he is no more is definitely a hard hit for the country. He was a true legend. May your soul rest in peace.”

Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) general secretary Carol Bapu has described the former NAM technical advisor’s demise as a big loss to the netball fraternity.

“We cannot talk about Malawi netball without mentioning his name. He was an inspiration to many coaches and a big contributor to Malawi Queens’ achievements. We will greatly miss him. May his soul rest in eternal peace,” she said.

Saenda’s son Griffin Jnr described his father as “a great father to many not just to us as family”.

The young Saenda went on to hail his father for leaving behind a lasting legacy that people “will leave to cherish his work”..

He nonetheless acknowledged that Saenda’s demise has left a very big gap to both Malawi Queens and Diamond.

Meanwhile, Minister of Youth and Sports Ulemu Msungama said he was deeply saddened by Saenda’s  demise.

The family has disclosed that Saenda will be laid to rest on Saturday at HHI Cemetery in Blantyre.

The 68-year-old  hailed from Mwambo village, T/A Kuntaja in Zomba. He is survived by 10 children.