Lungu rewards Nakonde’s historic promotion

Fri, 07 Apr 2017 12:00:09 +0000

By ANNIE ZULU

PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has donated a 62-seater Higer bus worth K2 million to Real Nakonde FC, a newly promoted Premiership side based in Nakonde.

Presidential Affairs Minister Freedom Sikazwe, who handed over the bus on behalf of President Lungu at State House yesterday, told journalists that the donation came as a morale- booster to the team for its extraordinary promotion to the Premier League.

Sikazwe said President Lungu was passionate about promotion of sport in the country as it was one of the ways of empowering youths and recognising their talent.

“The President promised the people of Nakonde that he was going to donate a bus in appreciation of a team in a rural area having achieved promotion to the Premier League.

“The Head of State takes sports seriously because he believes that it is one way of empowering youths and tapping rural talent. President Lungu will always be there to support young people, so young people in rural areas should feel encouraged and participate in sports,” Sikazwe said.

And Nakonde Member of Parliament Yizukanji Siwanzi thanked President Lungu for the gesture, saying that it would bring hope to the team.

Siwanzi said the donation has also proved the President’s love for football.

He said the bus would also substantially reduce the high transportation costs previously incurred by the club, and allow players to travel in comfort for away matches.

“This is a new dawn for the team; the bus will ease their transportation problems. President Lungu has yet again proved his vision of empowering young people,” Siwanzi said.

Siwanzi also called for sponsorship for the club from the corporate world. He said the club had challenges of paying players due to lack of sponsorship.

And club technical director Enerst Kabaghe has promised not to disappoint the Head of State, but that his club would work hard to bring glory not only to Nakonde but Zambia as a whole.