MUKWIMA CHILALA writes
PLANS to honour sports legends Kalusha Bwalya and Samuel Matete by the Luapula provincial administration have reached an advanced stage.
Provincial Minister Nickson Chilangwa said his administration would be honouring soccer great Bwalya and his 100 metre former world champion Matete in October.
Chilangwa said his administration would honour the two sports personalities so as to celebrate them for raising the profile of the province.
He said Matete who hails from Mbereshi, Mwansabombwe District of Mwata Kazembe, went and conquered the world.
Chilangwa further said Bwalya whose roots are at Mulonga Village in Mwense District would also be honored
He said Luapula wanted to say thank you to the soccer icon for raising the profile of the province.
“Luapula is celebrating Samuel Matete and Kalusha Bwalya for raising the profile of our Province. This is how to say thank you for everything,” Chilangwa said
The proposed activities for the honoring ceremonies include a Samfya Summer Festival targeting to raise K1, 500 00 in an event that will run from October 11 – 12.
There would also be a Kalusha Bwalya heritage football matches involving a four – team tournament in Kitwe.
Also lined up is a VVIP Beachfront Cocktail in Samfya with Marathon and Aerobics mania as well Beach games
The minister said they wanted to celebrate Matete and Bwalya while they were still alive.
Matete retired as a track and field athlete from Luapula.
He competed in 400 meters hurdles and was known for his fast finish, having been one of the world’s leading hurdlers in the early 1990s, and became the first Zambian track and field world champion in 1991.
On the other hand Bwalya is considered to be one of Zambia’s greatest footballers having scored more than a 50 goals for the national team and leading Zambia to its first Africa Cup of Nations win as FAZ president in 2012.
