Zambia, in southern Africa, is a landlocked country of rugged terrain and diverse
wildlife, with many parks and safari areas . you can’t fail to mention soccer in a country where football is the most watched sport. They won the 2012 Nations Cup

I narrate exclusively my football adventure to the Copper belt country in my story dubbed ‘My Football Adventure in Zambia’  and in parts of one and two.

A reality that came to be was the mission of completing my adventure to the football mad Northern Rhodesia currently Zambia.

It was a planned visit a year ago and on 10^th February 2016 just after leaving the Rwandese capital Kigali where Congo DR had just won their second CHAN tournament,I began the long journey by road to Zambia with Tanzania being the transit country.Having been to Tanzania for some time and even worked there, moving to Dar es salaam for the connection was very easy.As I reached the commercial city of Dar es salaam I booked a direct bus that was destined for Harare via Lusaka.I was in company of fellow soka25east writer in the Kiswahili language Kaka Victor Abuso at the bus station.

Dar es salaam – Nakonde route.

My journey to Zambia through the terrains and slopes of Tanzania was very nice.as soon as I reached the border town of Tunduma on the Tanzanian side, that’s  very late in the night. I decided  to get a  sleep and set off the following day from Nakonde , the border on the Zambian side at around  14hours heading  Lusaka.I reached the Zambian capital the next day at 03hours .

From Lusaka I decided to go to the Western Province town of Mongo, the home to Zesco feeder club shockers and the land of rice and fish.this visit at Mongu was personal’ and familial in nature, the time I spent there I learn how to take the soft nshima, maize meal and other forms of relish

From Mongo, the real soccer adventure started.

In Livingstone with Sibeleki and Mwiinga 

As I stated my visit was a planned one and my fellow writers at soka25east were all waiting to see me.I set for Livingstone, the tourist capital of Zambia stopping at Sesheke,Kazungula border towns before finally reaching Livingstone.In Livingstone I had a brief chat with James Sibeleki who is one of our writers, he calls himself the “African Guru’ owing to his vast knowledge on African soccer.he is even known in Kenya.we are joined by another soccer pundit though not a writer per say ,Mr Hamz Mwiinga who after our brief chat drives me to the bus station .

In Lusaka with Mubanga

My next stop was in Lusaka city that’s  the capital.in Lusaka I met Aaron Mubanga who also writes s for soka25east .we had a brief chat at the bus  station where I gave him a soka25east jersey and left for the FAZ offices.enroute  to the FAZ offices I visited the Sunset and Woodlands stadium where I happen to have watched a second tier team in a training session.At the FAZ offices I received a warm welcome and was taken through the Zambian football by one Tembwe  who is the media officer at FAZ . we held a brief chat with the jovial man where he hinted to me that the Zambia vs Kenya African Nations  Gabon 2017qualifier match will be played in Lusaka and not Ndola as by that time according to him Chipolopolo will ne through and would want to entertain the Lusaka fans. Just outside the FAZ offices I meet a lady who just after introducing myself she tells me she loves football and loves Chipolopolo.

She had this to narrate to me

“I’m not a huge soccer fan but I do watch a lot of soccer on TV. At times I spend
a lot of time on the weekends listening to live Premier League matches on the BBC
World Service. (I support Arsenal)
Football is extremely popular here in Zambia.  People play it all the time. You
don’t need a lot of equipment (just a big enough space, improvised goal area and a
ball). You can watch Premier League (England,) Champions’ League (Europe) and
African Football. My village doesn’t have electricity but if it’s a big game such as the
Champion’s League Final, the UEFA European Championship or the CAN (African Cup
of Nations) you better believe the generator is up  running and everyone is crowded around a 17 inch television.
I love watching football matches with my village. First of all, I love supporting the
national team, the Chipolopolo, I watched the 2012 CAN with my village,
almost every game. I was the only woman there, but I hope I was doing a bit of a
gender sensibilisation; it’s perfectly acceptable for women to watch sports! It was
even more fun watching Chipolopolo win it for the first time,I’m even more jealous of the PCVs who watch the game in
person at the Levi Mwanawasa stadium”

From the FAZ offices I returned to Lusaka CBD and left for Kabwe town,the home of Kabwe Warriors.here I meet Soka25east writer and graphic designer Kelvin Musako Trudeau.he too gets his soka25east jersey and I finally leave for the football rich copper belt regions.

Read part two for the exclusive journey to the soccer region of copper belt. 

Remember in Lusaka the teams participating in the top tie included Lusaka Dynamos, giants Zanaco, Green Buffaloes,etc

Austin Oduor

talking African football