By FELIX MALUNGA –

WITH time slowly ticking away, Chainama Hills Golf Club has embarked on a vigorous fundraising drive to meet the needed K325,000 to stage the prestigious 2014 All Africa Junior Challenge in April.
Chainama captain, Killian Mwela said the club had lined up a number of fundraising ventures to mop up resources for the successful hosting of the biggest junior golf event on the continent.
Mwela said in a statement released in Lusaka yesterday that among the fundraising ventures would be a golf tournament on March 14 which the club would host.
He said Chainama was hoping to realise at least K50,000 from the golf event to start the fundraising drive.
Mwela said it was the Noel Nkoma-led organising committee’s resolve to stage the best-ever All Africa Junior Challenge and would do everything possible to achieve that goal.
“In our continued efforts to raise funds for this tournament, we have embarked on various fundraising ventures to raise the funds to host the All Africa Junior Golf Challenge 2014. The organising committee will be holding a golf fundraising tournament at Chainama Hills Golf Club on the 14th of March, 2014,” he said.
Mwela said staging of the continental competition would also help in the development of junior golf in Zambia.
He appealed to all stakeholders, corporating partners and the business community to generously support the junior golf development by ensuring the successful hosting of the continental championship.
The All Africa Junior Challenge, which is returning to Zambia for the first time in eight years, will be competed by 16 countries.
The All Africa Junior Challenge will be a 72 holes stroke play format over four days.
South Africa are the defending champions with Zimbabwe being the 2013 silver medalists while Zambia made golf history last year by minting bronze during the event staged at Le Touessrok Golf Course in Port Louis, Mauritius.
And Ndola and Nkana Golf Clubs have decided to revive social interaction among the golfers by staging a tournament in Ndola today.
Tournament organiser, Greg Lubesha said golf was a good sport but lacked serious interaction among the clubs and players.
Lubesha, who is former Ndola Golf Club captain, said the two clubs would field some of their best players including administrators in this individual stableford event.
He said plans were also underway to incorporate other clubs on the Copperbelt and across the nation for the sake of promoting good interaction among all stakeholders in the sport.
While the Nkana team will be led by Africa Golf Confederation president, Joe Malanji, Zambia Golf Union (ZGU) president, Charles Mwanza will lead the Ndola charge in this 18-hole competition.
Also in the Nkana team is club captain, Elario Musonda, ZGU honorary secretary, Kelly Munsaka, Hang’omba Hang’omba, Serge Kabaso, Dan Kangwa, Chris Mpundu, Collins Mulenga, Philimon Mwila, Allan Nyirenda, Robby Kunda and Professor Shumba among several others.
The Ndola team also includes Sports Council of Zambia vice-chairperson, Emmanuel Katebe, club captain, Humphrey Mutambo, former ZGU presidents, Percy Ng’andwe and Alex Mashano, Football Association of Zambia committee member, Pivoty Simwanza, former Zampost postmaster general, Paul Simfukwe, John Kabuka, former Zambia Rugby Union vice-president, Clavel Nguluta, Rahul Patel, Shiraz Mirza, Ashwin Harry, William Sichilima and Lubesha.
Nkana will later host the Ndola in the return leg.