RB dances 'Donchi Kubeba'

...MMD president fails to resist magical song

FORMER Republican president, Rupiah Banda, could not resist the ‘magic charm’ of the ‘Donchi Kubeba’ fever when he joined in to dance to Dandy Crazy’s hit song at First Lady, Christine Kaseba’s luncheon held in honour of the triumphant Zambia national soccer team.

Mr Banda, who also raised his index finger to his lips in the ‘Donchi Kubeba’ style while on the dance floor, stood up to join President Michael Sata and First president, Kenneth Kaunda, among other guests who had already taken to the floor.

The popular musician, Dandy Crazy, was on hand to perform the all-too famous ‘Donchi Kubeba’ song which also attracted Dr Kaseba, national soccer team coach, Herve Renard and the players.

At some point, a jubilant Mr Sata picked a cap from Dandy Crazy’s head and placed it on Mr Banda’s head, an act that just went to epitomise the unprecedented unity and joyous moments that the victory by the Chipolopolo Boys has brought to the nation.

Meanwhile, the national soccer team players have raked in K2 billion in pledges from the private sector for lifting the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title while Government is considering giving a house to each of the players.

Companies announced their pledges at the luncheon with Zambian Breweries Plc pledging K400 million, MTN Zambia K200 million and ZESCO pledging K100 million.

Others are Railway Systems of Zambia (RSZ) K360 million, GBM Milling K200 million, First Quantum Minerals (FQM) K250 million, Zambeef K200 million, and Zhou Mining K500 million.

FQM also pledged to make a copper engraving of the names of the 1993 Gabon air crash victims as well as names of the AFCON title winning squad at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola while Zamtel donated a 29-seater minibus.

MTN rolled out the K1 billion worth of sponsorship to FAZ for the 2012 season while the K400 million from Zambian Breweries is the last instalment of the K4 billion that the company committed towards the national team.

Earlier, team captain Christopher Katongo said he thought among the pledges, somebody would give the players houses.

Local Government, Housing, Early Education and Environmental Protection Minister, Nkandu Luo then said the Government would look into the best way to thank the players for winning the Africa Cup and that the houses Katongo mentioned would be looked into. President Michael Sata who referred to himself as a “football hooligan” said he was honoured to be invited to the luncheon by Dr Kaseba and told the players that winning the AFCON was just the beginning of more hurdles ahead.

“There’s a Chinese saying that a long journey starts with one step. Winning is more painful than losing so you shouldn’t go to sleep because it will be painful for you to lose,” the President who was in a jovial mood said.

Mr Sata told the players that their title winning feat has made them ambassadors of their clubs.

He said the Chipolopolo had done well to lift the AFCON trophy to honour the 1993 air disaster victims and the country’s number one soccer fan Kenneth Kaunda who is still alive to witness the spectacle.

“When we lost our team in 1993, I declared Independence stadium as their burialsite, I did not even consult,” he said.