Zambian first rising club Zesco United has drawn support from some parts of Africa including Kenya.it is no mean fete that you find kenyans donning the Zesco united replica in the streets .

This could be because of the three kenyans playing for the Ndola based club namely David Owino,Jesse Were and Antony Akumu.

The club has passionate fans that is comparable to Gor Mahia and AFC leopards of Kenya,Yanga and Simba of Tanzania etc.

Soka25east with a massive following in Zambia caught up with two prominent Zesco fans in Cephas Mutambo and Cliff Njovu

Soka25east:Hellow Mr Cephas ,please tell us more about your self

Cephas MUTAMBO: My names are prince Cephas mutambo am married with four lovely kids two boys and two girls .Austin i started supporting zesco in the year 2004 when i was working for zesco Ltd

Soka25east:When did you start supporting Zesco and are you a true fan?

Cephas MUTAMBO: It is something good to support a successful team like zesco united Fc with good administration in place and with good sponsorship in Zambia

Soka25east:How do you feel supporting a big club like Zesco with huge following even extending across borders ?

Cephas MUTAMBO: Whenever am walking in the streets of Ndola people see zesco in me and am proud of that because of the brand Zesco united Fc.

Soka25east:Your friend Cliff Njovu is the supporters Chair ,how do you relate and whats your role in the supporters group?

Cephas MUTAMBO: Working with Cliff has been fantastic.Cliff is one person who listens to the views of other people though it has not been easy for us to run the zesco united Fc fans club.I say so because we use our funds available within ourselves.Another things is that our executive is not only in Ndola but in other towns too.But Cliff has made to be moving especially i will not forget another member Elias Kangwa our acting secretary General not forgetting Luke Chavula our secretary general who is committed with work outside Ndola

Cephas MUTAMBO: Austin,Cliff and I we support zesco united FC and Gor Mahia.If our officials will think about bringing Gor Mahia here Zambia it will fantastic and i can’t wait for that game not only the game we also want to learn something from Gor Mahia how they run their team and other things even them pick something from us because we are one of the best sides in Africa.

Cephas MUTAMBO: David Owino,Akumu Anthony and Jesse Were are our assets.Without them in the team fans don’t enjoy the game they are good players for our Ndola outfit.

Cephas MUTAMBO: Austin i have Gor mahia Jersey with me i really love this team it only that am not financially stable if Gor mahia officials can hear my cry they sponsor to come and watch the team in Kenya i won’t wait time but to get leave and come to Kenya hope they will see this.

Cephas in a Gor Mahia replica at the Savoy Hotel in Ndola

Soka25east-Cephas when did you start supporting Zesco United?

Cephas MUTAMBO: Actually Austin i started supporting zesco united Fc after the team i was supporting strike Rovers was disbanded after the privatisation of companies was done here in Zambia.So i did not waste time but to jump on zesco but by then zesco was not doing so well.Came a time when zesco recruited veteran players like Dabid chilufya , Martin Bwalya,Emmanuel msichili to mention but a few . Zesco went on to but division one teams that year and when zesco is playing it was like you are watching a premier league.The reason was very simple Dabid chilufya just came back from Finland,Martin Bwalya left Nkana with Emmanuel msichili coming to join zesco.So people were interested to see what are these players going to do at zesco
It is from there zesco won many souls of Ndola residents

Soka25east- Which team do you fear most when playing in the ZSL?

Cephas MUTAMBO: Honestly for now Austin i don’t have sleepless nights when playing Nkana and power.You may ask why? At zesco we don’t win games on Facebook but at the field of play.One interesting thing is that these teams they talk about their teams been big whilst zesco will be planning their down fall.The more they talk the more they lose concentration.The only team i fear in our league is forest rangers they trouble my team whenever playing this team.Mind you it a Ndola based outfit. I can’t say much but one day it shall be well.

Soka25east-what plans do you have for your team if you happen to meet Sundowns in the semis of the Champions league?

Cephas MUTAMBO: I have been the transport and logistics secretary before, i will make sure we organise buses to go south Africa and cheer our team.

Cephas MUTAMBO: That is our plancephas

Cephas seen here with the son in an all Zesco attire

And on the same day Soka25east managed to catch up with Cliff Njovu Festo ,the Zesco United supporters chairman.

Below is theinterview.

Soka25east-Tell us more about yourself?

Cliff Njovu:My name is Njovu Cliff Festo, Born and bread in Ndola and son of the Copperbelt Province. I am a Zesco United supporter and the Chairman of Zesco United FC Fan Club

soka25east-When did you start supporting Zesco?

Cliff Njovu: I can’t really figure out when exactly I started supporting Zesco United FC. I was introduced to Zesco United in year 2000 by a classmate at High School whose uncle was a Finance Secretary of this small team called Zesco United. There games were more less like social games because of the atmosphere which characterized the field after the game mostly played on Sunday. My friend would go to watch Zesco not for the game itself but because there was a lot of interaction after the games in the lower league.

Cliff NJOVU with his son in an all Zesco replica

soka25east– How do you feel supporting a big club like Zesco with now following emerging from countries like Kenya ?

Cliff Njovu:It feels fantastic to support a team that was born in my home town and slowly attracting supporters from all over the country and beyond.

soka25east-Whats your take on the Kenyan trio at Zesco and their imopact on the club?

Cliff Njovu:David, Anthony and Jesse are not just good players in the team but I can assure you that these gentlemen can go anywhere and will still shine. I love the commitment these gents show to their work and they are just fantastic to watch. Karaba is now a household name in Ndola probably because he came earlier than the other two gentlemen but be rest assured, Jesse and Anthony are as loved by locals here.

soka25east-You and Cephas have passionately called for a friendly with kenyan side Gor Mahia,now that Zesco are in the last four of thechampions league,are you still calling for the friendly?

Cliff NJOVU with Zesco supporters

Cliff Njovu:I am not just in love with Ko’galo, I am a big fan of theirs. I started supporting Gor Mahia in 2009 when I read about the passion that the fans of Gor Mahia have. I was forced to find Soja’s (Gor Mahia Supporter) number just to learn how they organise supporters in Kenya.

Cephas on the left,Cliff on the right and the writer of this article at the Savoy hotel in Ndola

After the interview ,the two supporters of Zesco called upon Gor Mahia management to organize and friendly with Zesco United both in Ndola and Nairobi and also asked their nemesis in Kenya Jaro Soja to help them bond together to make the two clubs even greater.