CHIPOLOPOLO defender, Nyambe Mulenga will miss the 2015 Africa Cup of
Nations (AFCON) finals after fracturing his right leg in a fatal road
traffic accident which claimed four lives in Kabwe yesterday.
Mulenga with two other players, Green Eagles goalkeeper Satchmo
Chakawa and Under-17 midfielder Changwe Kalale, called by coach Honour
Janza for preliminary AFCON preparations, sustained serious injuries
after a head-on collision involving a Zesco United executive bus and a
Toyota Prado near Green Restaurant in Kabwe on the Great North Road.
The Zesco bus, which had nine people on board, was taking the three
players to Lusaka to join the local Chipolopolo squad to kick-start the
AFCON preparations.
Central Province police commissioner, Standwell Lungu said the
accident happened around 11:00 hours after the driver of the Prado
coming from Lusaka lost control and hit into an oncoming Zesco's Toyota
Hiace registration number ABX 5368.
The Prado driver, a bishop from Pilgrim Church in Lusaka, sustained
serious injuries while his wife and two daughters were killed on the
spot.
Mulenga, who played a crucial role in the Chipolopolo's AFCON
qualifiers, sustained serious injuries, which could rule him out of the
continental football showpiece in Equatorial Guinea next month.
Kabwe General Hospital medical superintendent, George Chipulu said
most of the accident victims had fractured their legs and hands.
Chipulu said the healing process for most of the victims could take up to six months.
Central Province Permanent Secretary, Edwidge Mutale, who visited the
victims in hospital, said it was saddening that accidents had continued
claiming lives. She wished the injured a quick recovery.
Mutale advised motorists to observe traffic rules always, especially this festive season.
Sports Council of Zambia (SCZ) chairperson, Mwamba Kalenga, who also
visited the victims, expressed sadness with the accident and wished them
a quick recovery.
Several sports enthusiasts who included Chipolopolo assistant coach,
Chintu Kampamba and Kabwe Warriors coach, Mohammed Fathy also rushed to
the accident scene and hospital.
Meanwhile, the Chipolopolo squad comprising locally based players is
expected to start preparations in Lusaka today with Janza expected to
name his foreign based players next week before the team shifts its
training camp to South Africa.
The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) has also clinched a friendly
match with South Africa to be played on January 4 as part of the AFCON
preparations that starts on January 17 to February 8 in Equatorial
Guinea.
No comments:
Post a Comment