REPUBLICAN President Edgar Lungu has paid glowing tribute to the Zambian soccer community in remembrance of the 1994 national football team that perished off the coast of Gabon 27 years ago.
In a statement issued to media yesterday by his President’s Special Assistant for Press and Public Relations Mr Isaac Chipampe, the Head of State described the accident as one of the most difficult moments for Zambia and wished it had not happened.
” I wish you had reached Dakar, Senegal your final destination, I wish, with your collective talents you could have conquered Senegal and Morocco, we could have probably won the Africa Cup of Nations in 1994 and we could arguably qualified for the first time to the world that very fateful year” President Lungu lamented.
The President remembered how the very team made the country proud when it thrashed Itali 4- 1 at the Olympics held in South Korea’s capital, Seoul, in 1988.
“I remember how then President of Zambia Dr Chiluba delivered a Eulogy that ended with the nation weeping, I remember anger among Zambians, I remember our sadness but most of all I remember our unity,” President Lungu said.
President Lungu who is Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of Zambia also paid tribute to the 1994 ZAF aircraft crew that perished along with the national team off the coast of Gabon.
“I pay tribute to you Colonel Feston Mhone, Lieutenant-Colonel James Sachika, major Edward Nambote, and Steward Thomson Sakala,” the president said.
The Head of State said that as much as the squad of 1993 did not fulfill their mission in 1994 another generation of football players fulfilled it 18 years later when Zambia beat Ivory Coast in Gabon to become the 2012 African Champions.
I remember this very sorrowful day in the history of our country. One of Zambia’s darkest days. Continue resting in peace football heroes!
This is very touching considering his excellency actually represented the families of the decreased in court on a pro bono basis. A case he actually won. Lesa wamaka, today you are president. Life bane. A true leader in this man . Kz
Our tears will never dry up. RnP Brethrens.
“Family of the decreased” says KZ. When you try to prove too much you end up proving nothing.
Monde common sense will tell you that was an error. Let us not become trivial and childish like a skid mark
Now its the family of the decreased for sure…..nga ka report namanje.
Having said that the President represented the decesed families in court I expect him to really take care of the families because those are national heros who dedicated their lives to the nation . So if you are saying is a true leader let him look into that cause those people died on duty.
Of course it was one of the most difficult moments for Zambia, with the most catastrophic being Chagwa Lungu’s presidency. What crime did we commit to god to have such a dickhead installed as our head of state???
BA LT WAS IT IN 1994 OR 1993 IF IT WAS 1994 THEN ITS 26 YEARS AGO
KZ, who determines what is trivial and what is vital? In English grammar, you will score less marks because of what you are referring to as an error and trivial. In life we should not ignore simple things not even footnotes should be ignored. Morever, in Psychology even a simple error in speech, commonly referred to as ‘slip of the tongue’ is considered as important as it tells as something about the speaker.
@ monde I am not English and have never proclaimed to be so. I am zambian first and my mother tongue is not English. However, a typo based on phone prediction texting is not a big deal, unless you are a upnd supporter. The childishness of upnd supporters and its leadership is what has led to their 5 yearly losses. When I write for lusakatimes ,I am not writing for an important audience. Who are you ??
First they wrote Algeria instead of Morrocco. After making corrections, it is 1994 instead of 1993. Does it mean that sanitizer ikola?
The best Lazy Lungu can do is release the Gabon Report instead of issuing statements he is probably not aware of like his recent speech he gave that was a shambles.
The impostor wouldnt stay one day without playing his silly games!
For the record, it happened on the evening of 27th April 1993 when a DHC-5 Buffalo transport aircraft of the Zambia Air Force crashed into the Atlantic ocean shortly after take off from Libreville, Gabon. The flight was carrying most of the Zambia national football team to a FIFA world cup qualifier against Senegal in Dakar. I said most of the team because Kalusha Bwalya, Charles Musonda and Jonston Bwalya were not no that flight. In 1994, the reconstituted Zambia national team reached the final of the Africa cup of nations and lost 2-1 to Nigeria after Elijah Litana headed home first.
@Kz…You are a fool..Whose talking about politics?No wonder you just have a Birth Certificate..Grow up
What is going on at the State House PR Office?
So many historical inaccuracies. The names, countries and year. It was 1993.
There have no fact check?