Zanaco’s 19 year old forward scored in the 3-0 win against Nkwazi yesterday and He tells soka25east.com in an exclusive interview today that it is a dream to play for the Bankers.

Sakala says if not for football he would have seen himself as business mogul.

“I would have been a businessman because even right now I am running a business and it’s doing fine.

“I scored a goal and I really thank God for everything He’s doing upon my career. I am happy to score goals for my club because that’s my job as a striker and I am also a top-scorer of the club. I really feel good to be on top and that’s my dream.”

Fashion Sakala was kind enough to chat with us and share his football life. This is what he had to say.

Soka25east.com: Tell us a bit about yourself. Who is Fashion Sakala?

Sakala: I was born in 1997 on 14th  March in Chipata District in a rural area called Kawele village.
We are 7 in our family and am a number five. I am the first boy in the family and I have two young brothers.

Soka25east.com: When did you start school?

Sakala: I started school in 2002 at Kamboma Primary School and in 2007 we shifted to Mfuwe.  That’s the time when I was doing my grade 5. Then in 2008 we shifted again to Chiparamba at the village called Mbenjere and that’s were I did my grade 6 and 7 at a school called Mbenjere Primary School. After passing my grade  7 exams in 2009 I went to Chisitu Basic were I did my Junior Secondary education.

I passed my grade 9 exams and went to Chizongwe Technical High School. At the time when I was doing grade 10,  we had riots at our school and I changed my school to Tina Trust in 2012.

Then in 2013 that’s when Nchanga Rangers bought me from my team Kum’mawa Stars in Chipata.

I went on to completed my school at Chingola High School in 2014.

Soka25east.com: Interesting to hear you say Nchanga Rangers came for you while at school. Share with us how you started playing football?

Sakala: I started my football career when I was young and my father was also a very good footballer. He use to train with me everyday I knocked off from school. I use to play football in the rural area for our team Chizimati F.C. When I was growing up in a rural area we had no academies of football.  It was only chimphombwa (plastic ball) that we use to play.

Soka25east.com: That’s quite a story but, how did you get identified by Nchanga Rangers?

Sakala:  Inter-school games is the key of my football career.
When I was at Chizongwe Technical High School I used to play in the school team and a certain man called Timothy Kafa Nyirenda  got me from Chizongwe to his club called Kumawa stars and he started paying for my school fees at Tina Trust and he was also paying for everything. I played 17 games for his club and I  scored 35 Goal in the amateur league.

The team was promoted to Division 3 in 2013. I played 7 games scoring 13 Goals.

In the same year 2013 we went to Livingstone for Inter-Provincial games and I played 6 games scoring 9 Goals. I became the top-scorer of the tournament and we were the champions of provincial games as Eastern Province. I played in the same tournament  with Patson Daka and Conlyde Luchanga in Livingstone and I scored more than them during that competition. In the same year 2013 that’s when Nchanga Rangers became interested in me and they identified me through INTER-PROVINCIAL GAMES.

Soka25east.com: Your are now at Zanaco. Tell us about your life at the club.

Sakala: It is a dream come true. Zanaco is one of the biggest clubs in Zambia. Any player wants to join Zanaco. I am happy to score goals for my club and I thank my coach Numba Mumamba for believing in me. He tells me I am the best striker in Zambia.

Fashion Sakala with coach Numba Mumamba

Soka25east.com: Anyone special in you life?

Sakala: Yes. I am engaged to Violet Zulu.

Soka25east.com: What are your ambitions for the future?

Sakala:  I am happy to be a footballer and I am targeting playing professional football in South Africa or Europe that’s my dream and I am sure it will come true. My player model is Cristiano Ronaldo. That’s the reason most of the times when I score, I celebrate like him.”

Soka25east.com: Thank you for spending time to talk to us

Sakala: You are welcome.

Soka25east.com would like to wish Fashion Sakala all the best in his football career.

Kelvin Trudeau Musako

Football Journalist | TotalEnergies AFCON 2021 Photographer | Media Officer - Kabwe Warriors FC | Graphic Designer | Videographer