The soccer fraternity is in mourning following the passing on of former Premier Bet Wizards and Silver Strikers winger Thuso Paipi Friday at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) in Blantyre after a short illness.
Paipi helped Silver to win the FDH Bank Cup in 2021 after beating Karonga United 1-0 at Bingu National Stadium.
He then parted ways with the club he signed for in 2016.
The deceased’s close relation, Thango Paipi, said the whole family is heartbroken with the sad news.
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“He was admitted at QECH on Wednesday following acute diarrhea and breathed his last on Friday morning. He has been sick for the past five months and it was on-and-off.
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“The situation worsened on Wednesday and we decided to take him to a dispensary in Ndirande where we were referred to QECH where he died,” Thango, himself a former MDC United winger, said.
Former Silver Chief Executive Officer Thoko Chimbali has described Paipi’s death as a big shock.
“We never heard anything like he was sick only to hear about his death today. This is really shocking. As someone who worked with him when he joined Silver alongside Brighton Munthali in 2016, I am really downcast. May his soul rest in eternal peace,” Chimbali said.
Football Association of Malawi Competitions and Communications Director Gomezgani Zakazaka also described Paipi as a great talent lost.
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“He had a great future in football and was a top talent. What a loss! He was a player who went through all the youth football systems to make his name at Premier Bet Wizards way back in 2016. May his soul rest in eternal peace,” Zakazaka said.
At the pinnacle of his career in 2016, Paipi was the subject of a K3.3 million transfer wrangle between Wizards and Silver following expiry of the player’s K500,000 six-month loan to the Central Bankers.
Silver then signed him on permanent terms after agreeing to pay K2.5 million to the defunct club for his services.
This was after Fam had ruled that the player belonged to Wizards and that Silver should stop using him until transfer processes were completed.
Thuso is survived by three children and will be buried at HHI Cemetery in Blantyre Saturday.
