Durban - Kaizer Chiefs’ latest recruit Caleb Bimenyimana announced his arrival to South African shores with a well-taken brace against SuperSport United over the weekend.
The Umurundi made his first start for the Amakhosi after two substitute appearances prior to that, and he repaid coach Arthur Zwane's faith in him with a goal on either side of half-time before unleashing one of the most controversial celebrations in recent years.
Bimenyimana converted his penalty and thereafter appeared to lift the skull and crossbones normally associated with Pirates.
Bimenyimana has since addressed the masses following an uproar on social media from supporters of both Amakhosi and the Buccaneers and explained his two celebrations and their respective meanings.
"My first goal celebration was the ‘black panther.’ I have been doing it since I was young with my brother, who plays in Turkey for Istanbul Baseksahir," Bimenyimana told Chiefs’ media department.
"Even for the second one it was for him because in the morning I talked to him on the phone and he told me, ‘Today, you’re going to score and you know what to do.’ When I scored the first, I almost forgot to do it.
"In Burundi we have that sign of a cross, which is part of our tradition. Since we were Wnder-17, we’ve been doing that celebration and we have grown together to senior level in the national team."
Bimenyimana revealed that he had no idea what the celebration meant in SA and promised to never do it again.
"It had nothing to do with Pirates. I wasn’t even thinking that it’s the same. As I said, it was for me and my brother, what we always do, but now that I know what it means, I won’t do it in this country," he said.
The 24-year-old forward, along with fellow new arrival Dove Edmilson were deemed the missing pieces to Zwane's grand plan for the new season.
“A big striker that can hold up the ball and link play for us and provide a different dynamic to the speedy attackers we have,” was what Zwane said when asked about his decision to lure Bimenyimana to Naturena.
Bimenyimana will want to build on his impressive showing against Matsatsantsa after the international break, and will look to hand Chiefs the advantage in the first leg of their MTN8 semi-final against AmaZulu.
@SmisoScribe