On a dark day for Zimbabwe's biggest football clubs, Dynamos and Highlanders were rocked by the deaths of key figures at the two giants.

Earlier in the day, Dynamos lost their former winger and administrator Ernest Kamba before Highlanders were also shocked to find out last night that their chief executive officer Sihlangu Dlodlo had been found dead at his Nketa 9 home in Bulawayo. According to one of his close associates, Allan "Ripper" Mpofu, Dlodlo's lifeless body was discovered after they forced entry into his premises.

He had reportedly gone missing since Saturday.

"It seems like my friend passed on over the weekend. He was alone at his place," Mpofu said.

"After the alarm was raised that he had gone missing, with the help of his relatives we had to force open the gate at his place to gain entry," he said.

"After peeping through a window, I did not believe it. I saw the lifeless body of my close friend. This is so disheartening, it's really sad.

"We discovered this around 6:45pm. I cannot speak further because I have to respect his (Sihlangu) family," said a sobbing Mpofu. Both the Highlanders and Dlodlo family authorities could not be immediately reached for comment.

Dlodlo had bounced back into the Bosso set-up when being appointed chief executive on April 2 after then-CEO Ronald Moyo decided against extending his stay in charge of the Bulawayo giants' secretariat.