Chipata District in Eastern Province was a hive of activity today when residents lined up the streets as early as six hours to catch a glimpse of 73 bicycle race competitors in this year’s Chova bicycle race.
The bicycle race commonly known as Chova, the biggest sporting event drew participants from various districts and attracted 70 men and three women who covered 25 and 15 kilometers respectively.
The race that started at 09:38 from Exide Express Batteries saw the cyclists, cycle through Katopola, Kapata Market, Lundazi road, Kanjala, Chadiza roads to Barclays Square, the finishing point.
18 out of the 70 men were among those that got prizes with Welera Mulauzi scooping the first prize comprising a battery, bicycle and four inch single mattress. He completed the race in 1 hour 10 minutes.
The second winner, Eliabu Ngoma got a mattress and a battery worth K700,000 while the third cyclist Jack Mwanza won a battery K450,000 and four inch single mattress.
And the fourth racer Biwale Nyirenda won himself one bicycle and a battery worth K350,000.
Other competitors went away with consolation prices of shovels and rain coats.
The two oldest cyclists, Julius Nyirongo and Special Chilumbu both aged 65 years went away with a battery and shovel each while the youngest competitor Masauso Phiri aged 14 got a four inch single mattress.
And the first winner in the women category Jennifer Phiri won a bicycle and four inch single mattress while Annie Nyirenda second and Florence Musepelo third went away with a bicycle and a four inch mattress respectively.
And speaking at the occasion Eastern Province Deputy Permanent Secretary Nicholas Banda stated that Government remained committed in supporting sporting events.
Mr Banda said Government was aware that physical fitness was cardinal to national development and that it could only be attained when people participated in sporting events such as bicycle race.
“Government attaches great importance to the development of all sports at all levels as it is in line with 2006 to 2010 Fifth National Development Plan (FNDP) and Vision 2030,” he stated.
Mr Banda has since called on other stakeholders to emulate those that contributed to the success of this year’s bicycle community race to participate in future sporting events adding that it was a good platform to educate the community on issues of HIV and AIDS among others.
He said the involvement of Road Traffic Safety Agency (RTSA) who also educated the cyclist on road rules was commendable, as bicycles were number one mode of transport in the district.
The bicycle festival has been taking place since 2001 sponsored by Exide Batteries and spearheaded by Government through the Ministry of Sports,Youth and Child Development.
ZANIS
Almost every participant worked away with a battery, how are they going to use those batteries?
playing radios with them. why not empower them with solar panels?
I wonder pa Zambia if there are designers. Couldn’t they have designed a better monument/icipampa across the road for “welcome to chipata”, sure? Ni ba RB bacitile design?
# 1 Mwiponta Mukabwela Naulasa. Good observation. Some of them will sale them at cheap price far below its value.
# 1 & 3 , Yes indeed , Exide shud find better prizes than their batteries. What type of batteries are they ? Are they car batteries?
Fwaka ya Chingoni…Amuna angawo – ngawo onyamula njovu nkhata nkhalamu…Is this Chova the same like Tour de France? I suggest these guys should change the name to Tour De Zambia so that we can have some neihbouring countries participating in this shhit rather it becomes a warm up for Tour De France.We need the Alberto Contadors to paticipate as well.W@ts yo take on this one? As for #2 peter fucck! yah ur a bunch of clown what about that pillar on the Great North Road near your ****ed up stadium,W@t bout pillars in France,Jerusalem & Palestine? I smell pusssyyy..
surely #2, that “welcome to chipata” has been around for ages…since the kaunda era. it just shows your ignorance and your being stationed wherever it is you are since you were in diapers. and please ba editor, dont allow such comments as #5. it shows like all we zambians have foul mouths!!!!!
If you don’t have such races in your province or districts, just keep quiet. If you have no idea of the welcome to Chipata poster and its meaning, just keep quiet or ask politely. Their is nothing 2 talk about RB in that welcome poster. If pipo want to say something, just give us positive suggestions and not waste your ignorance on issues that are not political. Pipo shud know where 2 bring politics. CHOVA is a social event and our pipo love it. We are proud of CHOVA BICYCLE RACE as easterners and the name cut across the all our languages in the province.Respect your brothers and sisters, respect easterners and their cultural pride, above all, respect yourselves.
#7 you sound extremely stupid and so defensive on RB, whats wrong with you? did you even think about it before put your dirty fingers to the keyboard. if you dont have any sense of humor,dont consider everyone the same…2 was simply cracking a joke. RB supporters try to be so defensive even where they are not suppose to be so. and by the way that thing on the road really sucks….it doesn’t matter how long it has been there. the whole eastern province has no brain to work on the so called monument or whatever u may like to call.
hahahaha..ala bee ‘s village …iliko bad!!
Number 7 seem to be too smart intellectually to argue with pipo like number 8. Their level of understanding and thinking is very different. Number 7 to me sounds like a Dr. or Professor; very formal and straight person. The man is bold enaf to put all his real names and doesn’t worry or fear anything. Number 8 sounds like a stundent, a joker and very informal person. Like many of us, numebr 8 cannot even disclose his true identity. This is the big problem I see around them.
At least we have shown them, in Kasama and Luapula they only compete in witchcraft crushlanding.
Even utumisebo (the roads pa Zambia!) Imwe mwe ma leaders bushe tamwenda? None of ama fools yesu can take up the initiative of redesigning our roads! Why don’t we make the Ndola-Kitwe dual road a model for all road networks in Zambia? Ba Zambia kuti mwandisha mwandi!
#5, I do not insult people. But, thanks for your insult. But, you are right. Almost all statues in Zambia look like they were designed by RB. The only statue(s) worth writing a book about is the Freedom statue in front of National museum near Kamwala market and mposa mabwe in Kitwe. But, currently, Zambia has been blessed with a very intellegent young man who can do almost any statue of international standing in the name of Kenani Zulu. He has done a lot of breath-taking works. Some of his recent works can be viewed at a lodge before Chilanga cement along Kafue road where there is a larger-than-life elephant. Inside the lodge’s yard there are other statues of normal size but very beatiful, too. Kenani Zulu is self-taught artist. But, I wonder if this govt is even bothering to expose him…
cntd from #13…or encourage him in any tangible way. When I saw Kenani’s work I just thought I must meet and thank this guy for his initiative and also for uplifting the young (as well as all Zambians) Zambians spirits along the lines of art. Another great guy I know is Miko. Miko was educated at Evelyn Hone college as an art student. Through both his wife and his initiative Miko, I think started exhibiting his art works in Europe and USA when he was still at college. Miko’s works are equally impressive. People, especially Zambians must make an effort to see these guys works. And the question is why can’t these guys be contracted to beautify the towns of Zambia with their works so that tourists get even more attracted to come to Zambia. Why should we have such hopeless statues in…
cntd from #14…Zambia or none at all in most places when we are blessed with such guys as Kenani and Miko? The great man I used to know is the late Aquila Simpasa. Aquila used to be one of my uncles’ school mate and best friend before he became mentally sick, and finally dead. Aquila was one of the greatest artists of international standing. Probably, the only well travelled and imensely exhibited internationally. I think through his work he even mate the former US president Mr Ronald Reagan. This guy (for lack of any better word to describe him) was simply good. His works were amazing- for people who knew and can remember him.
I met Aquila Simpasa (b4 I even knew he was my uncles mate), at his sister’s flat in Longacres-Lusaka. I was with his cousin who was my friend. I was a school buy by then. But upon meeting him we just clicked and the man came to like me so much. I thought I was intellegent and we discussed a lot of stuff together- ranging from social to politics. Sorry, am kinda getting carried away with this memory. But to cut the story short, I have always been wondering why our great artist don’t find sponsor (Zambian companies, monied individuals, or the government itself) to go and exhibit overseas
from #16. I am into most forms of art and I mostly follow exihibitions whenever I have time and money. What I don’t see all the time are Zambian artists. What I see mostly are Zimbabwean artists brothers. There’s this Zimbabwean artist called Patrick (hope name’s correct). This guy’s a brilliant Sculptor. He has exhibited I think in almost every European country and he makes a killing. Artists are very good ambassadors who expose their respective countries.
from #17. Quite recently RB was in China (during 1 of his usual playful trips), and he made a pronouncement that during his trip he had learnt alot of things and he wants to take what he has copied back to Zambia. I couldn’t believe a big man like him could utter such crap. He is not even a technocrat-how can he copy any engineering piece of work and even be able to implement it in Zambia? His counterparts send engineers, scientists and artists abroad and overseas to go and exihibit and learn from there and bring with them new techniques of solving engineering, scientific or artistic problems. They learn and copy new ideas in their respective fields which they understand better. Rupiah decides to go there himself on the expense of young Kenanis’ exposures.
#8. Thanks for understanding me. I never meant to be political but humourous. From our brother’s lack of sense of humour one can understand how deeply politicised Zambia has become. You know #7, where I live I witness people coming from as far as china, America, canada, europe, Asia (japan, india, Russia, etc), scandinavian countries, etc, just to come and view the great statues (sulptures) worked by great individuals. People come from all over the world to Madamme Tausade. I wonder who would waste his time and money to go and view a, “Welcome to Chipata” statue. Even if your holiday itinery included Chipata upon seing that statue you would canceal that holiday.
Even the idea of pedestrians walking in dust (no pedestrian concreted or tarred pathways) will put you off. Lets use our available manpower to correct some of the mess or ugly features in our towns to make them attractive to ourselves and visitors. We all admire these things whenever we have an opportunity to visit other countries abroad/overseas- so why don’t we learn?
Actually, ‘chova’ is a very brilliant idea. I wish it can be promoted nation-wide and be turned into an annual event. This may lead to the roads re-design and improvement to include cycle and pedestrian tracks, street lighting, including commuter bus stops and other street furniture.
Alabee has nothing to do with your laziness you guys. Whenever you see something wrong you blame RB, why can’t you do your part leave alabee alone. I am not MMD but some attacks on RB make sick. Please respect the President ala imwe!!!!.
I was always amazed by the works of the late Aquila Simpasa, very innovative indeed. He had been good friends with the former president Dr. Kenneth Kaunda. I have been wanting to establish more information about his death because he was my uncle. The last news i received was that he did his final projects in Botswana and supposedly died there. Anyone who knows more about this or any photos you might have would be appreciated greatly.
You can contact me at [email protected].