BY GODFREY DUBE and ADRIAN MWANZA –

•FAZ technical director Honour Janza (right) with FAZ communications manager Nkweto Tembwe (centre) and former Chipolopolo goalkeeper John Kaunda lay wreaths on Ngwenya’s grave. Picture by ADRIAN MWANZA

FORMER NAPSA Stars assistant coach Dickson Ngwenya was yesterday put to rest at the Memorial Park Leopards Hill in Lusaka. Hundreds of mourners, mostly from the football fraternity, saw off Ngwenya with Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) describing him as a gallant son of football. Former Chipolopolo coach Honour Janza, who is also FAZ technical director, said Ngwenya’s loss was a big blow to football because he was a committed coach who fought to improve Zambian football Janza said he worked with Ngwenya at Zesco United and that the two had a good work relationship which saw then unsponsored Zesco United get promoted to the premier league. “I worked with Dickson at Zesco United, and we had good working relationship. “He helped us bring positive results and help in getting the team promoted to the premier league where you still see Zesco today,” he said. NAPSA chairperson Richwell Nawa extolled Ngwenya for dedication to his work which last season helped the team avoid relegation. Nawa said Ngwenya joined the team during the time it was about to be relegated, but his dedication and efforts saw them bounce back to form and avoided the drop. He said the club would ensure that it provides financial and any other help to the Ngwenya family in order to lessen their burden. Former Kabwe Warriors chairperson Andrew Kamanga, who once employed Ngwenya at Warriors, said the deceased played a huge role in the development of football in Zambia. He said Ngwenya was an active man who tutored a lot of high-profile players who were doing fine both in and outside the country. Kamanga said the football fraternity had lost a gallant soldier whose contributions and dedication to the sport would be missed.