Families of the victims of the 1993 Gabon Air Disaster were on Tuesday morning joined by fans and FAZ officials during the 33rd Anniversary commemoration at the Heroes Acre in Lusaka.
On the evening of 27 April 1993, a Buffalo transport aircraft of the Zambian Air Force crashed into the Atlantic Ocean shortly after taking off from Libreville, Gabon.
Zambia was heading to Senegal for a 1994 FIFA World Cup qualifier when the disaster occurred.
Family representative Tamalilapo Mtonga remembered the fallen heroes as symbols of unity and national pride.
“Our fathers did not just play football. They carried the hopes and dreams of an entire nation on their shoulders,” Mtonga said.
She called for the proper maintenance of the burial site for the fallen national heroes.
”This ground is not just a burial site. It is holy ground, a place where Zambian football history lives and breathes,” Mtonga said.
FAZ was represented by its Lusaka Province Chairperson Jordan Maliti, who said the anniversary still carries deep emotions for the nation.
“Today marks the 33rd anniversary since the nation endured its darkest moment, a moment that still carries painful memories despite the passage of time,” Maliti said.
“To every Zambian who witnessed this team’s pedigree, there was always a feeling that they were destined to take Zambia to the 1994 USA FIFA World Cup,” he said.
Maliti said Zambia still has a responsibility to fulfil that dream in honour of the fallen players. We have a duty to realise our nation’s lingering World Cup dream to fully honour these gallant men,” he said.
FAZ has decentralized the commemoration to all its ten regions countrywide.
Zambia marks 33rd Gabon Disaster memorial
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Eternally the best in class.
Eternally remembered.
Eternally honored.
Eternally at peace.
Ba Sports ministry naba FAZ you mean neither of you can find ka K10,000 or so to tend to those tombstones?
I never knew a player called Estone M Lenga myself. I knew Estone Mulenga.
If you cant repair little things like that how will you repair Chipolopolo’s current serious problems?
Muzinkalako serious.
It is sad that ZAF did nit attend this anniversary as a mark of respect and show their role in the disaster. People and institutions must own up for any deeds or misdeeds in the life of our country. The departed carried our flag and deserve respect from all of us including politicians who appear unable to recognize the importance of our country developing a reliable national transportation airline in a country endowed by enough resources to do good for all.
Yeah why is ZAF so visibly absent from such an important occasion in which they are fully involved. Perhaps they thought they are represented by the reversed acronym? Mweemba’s FAZ?
I was advised to use another ID since LT is censoring my comments. FAZ and the sports ministry need to go past lipservice and show they care.
How can they fail the simple routine of brushing up these gravesites?
Some of us don’t know Estone Lenga whose middle initial is M.
I know Estone Mulenga.
Is sports ministry and FAZ too lazy (broke?) to spruce up the tombstones?
I suspect the budget for cleaning up the graveyard is there but knowing Zambians