. Triumpant AFCON 2012 Zambia nation team

By SHAMAOMA MUSONDA –
PRESIDENT Michael Sata will on Zambia’s 50th Independence Day anniversary honour various sports personalities including the national football team that won the country the first-ever Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) trophy in 2012.
The Chipolopolo and other sports personalities will be honoured for their contribution to the development of sports in the country.
In a first ever Special Single Class Golden Jubilee Medal, President Sata has picked various sporting icons who include the likes of Kalusha Bwalya, the only player from Southern Africa to have won the African Footballer-of-the-Year and Satwant Singh, the record eight-time African rally champion.
According to a list of people to be honoured during the investiture ceremony, the President has selected all members of the Zambian team that won the 2014 AFCON championship.
The members of the Chipolopolo 2012 squad to be honoured include former coach, Herve Renard with the entire technical bench and team captain, Christopher Katongo.
In a list cutting across various sporting disciplines, boxing coach Anthony Mwamba has also been named alongside veteran administrators like the late David Abel Ray Phiri, who served in various sports bodies, and Dr Mutumba Bull.
But it is the footballers who have dominated the sporting list to be awarded with some household names like Ashios Melu, winner of Zambian footballer of the year on two occasions, Estone Mulenga and will both receive their medals posthumously.
Also making the cut is Beston ‘Quicksilver’ Chambeshi, who made his name playing for Nkana where is now coach, Zambia’s most memorable midfielder Charles Musonda and the 1974 national team captain Dickson Makwaza among others.
Veteran soccer commentator Dennis Liwewe, who died earlier this year in April and is widely regarded as the voice of Zambian football, is also on the list as well as veteran journalist Ridgeway Liwena who used to double as a City of Lusaka player and reporter at the Times of Zambia.
Some other names to receive awards from the class of 2012 are goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene, Davies Nkausu, Joseph Musonda, Stoppila Sunzu, Nathan Sinkala, Rainford Kalaba and Hichani Himoonde.
Chisamba Lungu, Isaac Chansa, Emmanuel Mayuka, James Chamanga, Noah Chivuta and Nyambe Mulenga, Evans Kangwa, Joshua Titima, Felix Katongo and Kalililo Kakonje will also receive honours.
Some of the names appearing from the technical staff are Patrice Beaumelle, Dr Joseph Kabungo, Gibson Chaloba as well as team manager Lusekelo Kamwambi.
Other medals will be handed to icons in football like Derby Mankinka, Lucky Msiska, Manfred Chabinga and Zambia’s arguably most powerful sports administrator Patrick Chamunda, who sits on the International Olympic Committee board.