Zambian soccer victory – an Israeli reponse

My enthusiastic congratulations on a magnificent vicory from an Israeli fan. Your team was disicplined, fit, creative and in brief,looked like champs and played like champs. You deserved to win -inspite of that heart stopping penalty that Drogma very conveniently kicked wide.

A fitting monument to the memory of the players who died in the tragic plane crash – and a brilliant example to Zambian youth who will learn from the dedication and hard work of the team that must have preceded this victory.

Keep it up Zambia

R.Melmed

Congrats from the U.K

Congratulations from the UK to the Zambia national team on their win.
This old expat is proud of of you!

C.Pass

Congratulations from Ireland

I wish to congratulate the Zambian Team on its great victory. All the players were magnificent. The were calm,professional and skilful.It was indeed a wonderful victory for the whole country. I feel very proud of Zambia today.

John Macnamara, Dublin, Ireland (First Headmaster of St. Clement’s Secondary School in Mansa, Luapula Province 1964.)

From Mirror Football UK

From South Africa winning the Rugby World Cup in 1995 to a Roger Milla-inspired Cameroon in Italia ’90, Africa has provided some the iconic moments in recent sporting history. Without doubt, the achievements of Zambia on Sunday night in winning the Africa Cup of Nations will be added to that list.

Thanks to the power of Twitter and Facebook, this was not only the most-watched Cup of Nations ever but also the most commented upon. When Sunday’s final entered its penalty shoot-out, social media networks were ablaze with people sharing their opinions on the likes of Chris Katongo and Rainford Kalaba. This Zambia team had a story to tell and people were listening to their inspiring message.

From the Sowetan

They represented Southern Africa with aplomb and duly made us proud. Every time a team from these shores beats anyone from west Africa, yours truly celebrates.

It was even sweeter because one very arrogant west African so-called football pundit had predicted a 4-0 pasting for the Copper Bullets by the the Didier Drogba and Yaya Toure-led Ivorians. He shall, as of now hopefully, forever keep his peace.

From Washinton Post

Many attributed the victory to an amazing team spirit from a crew that fielded only one international player.

Zambia were the underrated underdogs at the African tournament, much like their country, which boasts a thriving democracy, a less-traveled destination for African wildlife and the spectacular Victoria Falls — along with a booming copper industry that recently catapulted the country to the status of lower middle-income.

From Nigerian Former Head of State

“I am saddened by the absence of Nigeria but the message the Eagles have to derive from the Zambians is that one has to love his country and not put money first. Football is all about commitment and fighting spirit. Zambia played their hearts out for their nation in honour of their colleagues. Though many people felt that they would be overrun by the Ivoriens, I told a lawyer friend of mine that from what I saw of them in two or three matches, I said I have confidence they would give any team in Africa a run for their money.”

From the New York Times

In Zambia, a nation where soccer has always had a deep meaning for people, Stoppila Sunzu’s winning penalty late in the shootout set off wild celebrations.

Car horns and vuvuzelas blasted throughout the night in the capital of Lusaka, fans cloaked in the green and copper colors of the national team streamed into streets around the country, and schools closed for a self-declared national holiday.

From News Day Zimbabwe

The success by Zambia in the just-ended African Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea serves as a big lesson for the disorganised Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) in many ways.
Chipolopolo on Sunday made history by becoming the second southern African country to win the African Cup of Nations after South Africa in 1996. Zambia beat favourites Ivory Coast 8-7 on penalties after a 0-0 draw in 120 minutes.

South Africa won it at home, but Zambias victory is unique in that they won it away from home and it was a fitting tribute to members of the Zambian side who tragically perished in the ocean off Gabon in 1993.

From Mmegi Botswana

You see the Zambians represent my ideal team with limited resources. They are neither huge nor tall, but are as frail as Botswana players but hey they pack a lot of surprises.

They are swift when attacking; an obvious sign that they are playing to their strength and body structure. This is what I want to see happening with the Zebras….

Zambia has definitely shown us the way. Equally even the premier league in Zambia is no different from our league, but the team has shown us a trick or two.

From Nyatimes in Malawi

“This has given FAM hope that in football,success can be achieved if
you are committed,dedicated,have good tactics and are hard working.
Zambia who are our brothers have given us the courage that you do not
have to fear names but have self belief,” Nyirenda says in the
statement.

Zambian Victory celebrated in Qatar

In Qatar Senior management of Abdullah Abdulghani & Brother, The Holding Company of Toyota & Lexus Qatar,congratulated Zambia by placing Zambian Flags at their Head Office in Honor of the Victory and Fallen Zambian Heroes.  Toyota & Lexus Qatar is the official sponsor of the Football QSL (Qatar Super League).

Zambians in Oslo Norway celebrate

The Lusaka City Council (LCC) has stopped providing any more refuse bins to residential areas in Lusaka and has since called on Community Based Enterprises (CBEs) to education the public on proper ways of disposing of garbage.

LCC Public Relations Officer Henry Kapata said it was not the intention of the council to put bins all over the city but to make people understand that the indiscriminate disposal of garbage was not allowed.

Mr. Kapata told ZANIS in Lusaka yesterday communities must be responsible with the way the dispose of their garbage and not rely on the local authority to provide bins.

He was reacting to complaints by some Community Based Enterprises (CBEs) which are collecting garbage in various communities.

Yesterday, a Waste Management Company of Lusaka’s Bauleni Compound complained that the lack of skip bins in the compound has led to the indiscriminately dumping of garbage in the compound.

The company also complained that the LCC has not heeded to appeals for it to distribute new skip bins to communities in the past three years.

Mr. Kapata however said it was the duty of the CBEs to educate people and bring awareness programmes on the dangers of indiscriminate dumping of garbage.

He urged the CBEs to seriously take their responsibility of making people understand the dangers of the indiscriminate dumping of garbage instead of requesting for more bins from the council.

Mr. Kapata said the number of bins that are distributed in different parts of the city depends on the population in a particular area.

He reiterated that the LCC will not give any extra bins to any area.

He said if the council distributes a lot of bins in the city, then Lusaka will be full of bins which will end up being vandalized by members of the public.

Mr. Kapata said the CBEs will not have the capacity to collect garbage from the skip bins if the bins are too many in the city.

ZANIS

The National Movement for Progress says it is too early for it to criticize the realignment of districts by the Patriotic Front government.

NMP leader Ng’andu Magande says the party is still studying the decision by the government to realign districts in southern provinces.

Mr. Magande explains that his party will only be able to give a position once it has studied the decentralization position of the Patriotic Front government.

He has however stated that there is nothing wrong with some groupings, particularly the United Party for National development protesting against the decision the Government to realign districts.

He says it is provided for in the Zambian constitution for any member of society to protest, as long as it is done within the confines of the law.

Mr. Magande was speaking to QFM news in an interview.

And Southern Province minister, Miles Sampa says the opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) lied to the nation when they said 19 chiefs in the province have opposed the re-alignment of Chirundu and Itezhi-Tezhi districts by President Michael Sata.

Mr Sampa has also disclosed that some chiefs in the province are bitter with UPND leader, Hakainde Hichilema for ditching the pact with the Patriotic Front without consulting them.

Mr Sampa said Chief Mwanachingwala of Mazabuka district who was quoted as having attended the meeting in Choma has disassociated himself from the meeting.

He said chief Mwanachingwala has been unwell and has note moved out of the palace except when seeking medical attention in Lusaka.

Mr Sampa who has challenged the UPND to tell the nation why they elected to mislead the nation by presenting ghost names of chiefs who did not attend their politically motivated meeting said the statement attributed to the UPND has just exposed amount of hate for the PF government by UPND.

He said southern province has a total of 41 chiefs adding that a small fraction of chiefs who attended the Choma meeting which he doubted cannot speak for the rest of the chiefs that are in support of President Sata’s decision to re-align the districts.

Mr Sampa urged the UPND to stop using chiefs to challenge government on matters aimed at streamlining government operations.

And Chief Mwanachingwala’s sons, Mpimpa and Richard have advised the opposition UPND to respect the chief and avoid putting words into his mouth for their political gains.

Mpimpa urged the UPND to apologise to the chief and the royal family for putting his name into disrepute.

He said the family received the news about the ailing chief attending a meeting in Choma as a shock because the traditional ruler has never moved from the palace to attend to any meeting except going to the hospital for medical attention.

They said the issue of the President re-aligning the districts should be left to his government and not chief Mwanachingwala.

And Mr Sampa has disclosed that some chiefs in the province are bitter with UPND leader, Hakainde Hichilema for ditching the pact with the Patriotic Front without consulting them.

He said chiefs told him that they are still bitter with Mr Hakainde’s conduct during the run up to the elections as this was going to be an opportunity for the people of the province to take an active part in the running of government.

Mr Sampa who was speaking when made a stop over in Mazabuka said chiefs complained to him that Mr Hakainde pulled out single handedly from the pact without consulting them while in Lusaka leaving them in a quandary.

QFM

Hope for Human Rights Executive Director Smart Chanda has expressed worry over the shortage of police officers during the welcoming of the Chipolopolo boys at the Lusaka show grounds.

Speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today, Mr Chanda said the police who were present at the show grounds during the celebrations were not enough to control the crowd.

Mr Chanda said that the police should have involved the Defence forces to beef up security and prevent the loss of one life and the casualties that were recorded during the celebrations.

He urged the police to be alert at all times especially during such celebrations in the country.

Mr Chanda has since appealed to government to make sure that the police prepare adequately before such national events takes place.

He has however thanked the Chipolopolo boys for bringing honor to the country by winning the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

He said the AFCON win by the boys is a great achievement to the country and members of the public should celebrate it responsibly to avoid mishaps.

Meanwhile Mr Chanda has called upon all opposition political parties in the country to stop criticizing the President over the alignment of Districts.

He said the alignment of districts is a good move done in good faith and it should be supported by everyone who understands decentralization.

Mr Chanda said the alignment of districts will bring development to the people involved and therefore it should not be criticized.

He has urged the opposition parties not to criticize government anyhow but to give credit where it is necessary.

Mr Chanda has advised the leaders of the opposition parties to set a good example to the people by showing responsibility in what they do and say.

ZANIS