MARAMBA STARS – WORK IN PROGRESS

Maramba Stars FC are emerging as strong contender to graduate into Division One. They have an amazing and ambitious project coming up.

On my last visit to Livingstone I took time to visit and appreaciate the current Division Two pacesetters side. It is becoming a serious household name in the tourist capital and with great ambitions of bringing competition in the town that has been fairly dominated by Livingstone Pirates for many decades now.

Maramba Stars a team playing its home games at the famous St. Raphael’s Secondary School and has been in existence for some time now.

Under new owner Bimaele Phiri, Maramba Stars is one of the division two teams across the country that have camping facilities before their games, a rare occurence in the lower leagues in Zambia. And this could be one of the reasons the team looks set to end the Division Two Southern Province at the half way of the season as table toppers.

Bwezani talked to the Secretary of the Club to understand how the club was systematising.

“Currently we have registered about 38 players who we are using and am confident to say we are one of a few division two clubs who go into camp prior to our games and we are obligated to motivate our players everytime after the game.” said Mahutu Chisanga Mathews.

INCENTIVES
The team has variety of bonuses including winning and drawing away in their games and according to the secretary this is motivating the players and giving them more reason to play well for the team.

On any win , away and home the players are given a K100 and K70 for drawn matches.

“Bwezani take note that even the players not in the team that particular week are also given something , a sum of K40 after a game.” added Mahutu.

The proprietor of the Team Bimaele Phiri added that Coaches and Kit Master have a monthly salary.

The unity that the team is exhibiting all bores down to discipline that the coaching team has impacted in the boys.

Mr Bimaele Phiri was quick to mention the objective of the team in the 2017 season and going forward.

“Bwezani, its simple, to gain promotion into division one and what we have seen so far, am happy to say we shall achieve it, the players and the team know this and they have no doubt it will be achieved .”

Asked if this was not putting more pressure on the players and the technical team, Mr. Bima had the following to say

“There is no pressure Bwezani, that’s what the players and coaches have promised us and this is coming from them,” added Bimaele who is affectionately called BIMA.

With all these good stories, the team still has challenges and one of the notable one is coming from other teams claiming that some of the players Maramba Stars are using are their players even when proper channels of getting players was used.

The other challenges is that there are bigger teams that see talent in these boys and eventually want to get the players .

FAN BASE
According to the proprietor of the team, they did takeover a team in the midst of Maramba and the team already have fans and some effort has been done to bring some on board. In the someway about 200 fans are officially registered as fans and pay K20 annually. The chairman was quick to say that will improve with time

The management of the team also offers free transport for away and home games for fans interested in supporting the team.

With the success of the team noticed by Livingstone football fan base, some volunteers have come on board to suppliment the efforts of the executive with items like water during match days including financial assistance which the proprietor says is welcome and much appreciated.

LONG TERM
Bimaele Phiri adds that building flats for the players especially those married is being considered and this will reduce the challenges that players come up with that they are not able to pay rent.

“Bwezani I assure you that will be done.”

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BACK ON THE FIELD OF PLAY
Maramba Stars have played nine games so far this season lost one, drawn two and won six. They lead the table with 20 points and are above Choma Cutters with two points.

LIVINGSTONE DERBY
Maramba Stars are away to Come All this weekend with Coach Bupe of Maramba Stars facing his former team and its expected to be a cracker.

On meeting his former team Coach Bupe had the following to say,

” It will be a difficult game, Thomas Mwale is a good coach and more experienced than me but Maramba Stars is going to attack. Come All have a very good defence if you look at the statistics but we can still mange to do this.”

HIS MESSAGE TO THE FANS
Special thanks to the fans that are coming up to support the team and I can confidently say we are the most supported team in division two in Livingstone currently .

In the pictures is Coach Bupe Chewe , Proprietor Bimaele Phiri and the team Maramba Stars !!!