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AFCON 2012 Stars: Where are they now?
Kampamba Chintu, Rainford Kalaba, Evans Kangwa and Collins Mbesuma of Zambia
Tuesday Feb 15, 2022. 11:00
Ten years after Chipolopolo’s AFCON 2012 triumph we track the stars’ current status since Zambia’s finest hour.
– KALILILO KAKONJE: The ex-Power Dynamos and Amazulu goalkeeper who enjoyed a brief spell as number one before Kennedy Mweene is currently goalkeeper coach at FAZ Super League club Red Arrows.
Kalililo is also a regular fixture in the junior national structures where he acts as Zambia Under 17 and Under 17 goalkeeper coach.
– FRANCIS KASONDE: The midfielder has retired and is currently a physical coach at FAZ Super League club Forest Rangers whom he joined in 2021 from second tier side Jumulo FC where he underwent his internship as assistant coach.
– CHISAMBA LUNGU: Chisamba is still active and returned home in 2018 after a decade long spell overseas that took him from Georgia, Russia to Turkey.
Chisamba currently plays for FAZ Super League side Zanaco after stints at Nkana and Buildcon.
– JOSEPH MUSONDA: The ex-defender wrapped up his playing career at his former Zambian club Nkana after leaving the South Africa PSL in 2015 and was later part of the record 13-time Zambian champions backroom staff.
Musonda is currently Prison Leopards physical trainer since moving there in the 2021/2022 season.
– HICHANI HIMOONDE: The defender has retired into coaching and was until recently at third tier side Ndola United.
– DAVIES NKAUSU: The ex-SuperSport United defender is currently in South Africa after a brief spell at Baroka FC.
– CLIFFORD MULENGA: The 2007 CAF Young Player of the Year returned home two years ago after a long spell in South Africa and is currently in his second season at FAZ Super League side Forest Rangers where he has rolled back the years with 5 goals to his name by press time.
– ISAAC CHANSA: Chansa is an assistant coach at second tier side City of Lusaka after hanging up his boots two seasons ago at Forest Rangers.
The midfielders’ last Chipolopolo tournament was at CHAN 2016 in Rwanda where he scored one group stage goal before Zambia’s journey ended at the quarterfinals.
– COLLINS MBSEUMA: The Kaizer Chiefs and PSL legend is still active in the lower leagues in South Africa at Pretoria Callies and also runs a football academy back home in Zambia.
– FELIX KATONGO: The midfielder and Christopher Katongo’s young brother has retired and was recently elevated to assistant coach post at Green Buffaloes.
– CHRISTOPHER KATONGO: The 2012 AFCON winning captain returned home in 2015 and rejoined Green Buffaloes as a player and later assistant coach following a decade long career that took him to South Africa, Denmark Germany, Greece, China and back to the PSL.
He is currently a member of the Football Association of Zambia Technical Committee.
One of Katongo’s last rites in a Chipolopolo shirt was at CHAN 2016 in Rwanda where he captained the team and scored one goal en route to a quarterfinal exit.
– JAMES CHAMANGA: Chamanga returned home in 2019 after a decade in China and still actively playing at 42 with Red Arrows.
Chamanga scored 11 goals last season and prior to that won the 2019/2022 FAZ golden boot after ending that campaign on 15 goals for Arrows.
The striker has so far scored 5 goals this term and remains an influential figure as Arrows push for their second ever league title since 2004.
The last time Arrows won the league was about the same time he left Zambia to embark on his overseas career that started with a stop in the PSL before heading to China.
– STOPILLA SUNZU: Hero of Chipolopolo’s AFCON 2012 triumph after converting the now iconic decider in the shootouts is still competing at the highest level and the defender has enjoyed back-and-forth long-haul stints between China and Europe since winning the trophy.
Sunzu currently plays for Changzhou Mighty Lions in the Chinese Super League since leaving French club Metz in 2020.
– NOAH CHIVUTA: The midfielder is still active and playing in the Thailand league.
Chivuta is also a regular as a TV pundit during annual COSAFA Junior competitions.
– KAMPAMBA CHINTU: The defender returned home six years ago initially as a player-coach and later assistant coach at his childhood club Kabwe Warriors.
Chintu later had a coaching stint at Power Dynamos and is currently developmental trainer at Napsa Stars.
– KENNEDY MWEENE: The penalty-stopping hero of AFCON 2012 is still very active as a second-choice goalkeeper at PSL champions Mamelodi Sundowns where he has been since 2013.
– RAINFORD KALABA: The classy midfielder is still actively playing football and on the books of DR Congo giants TP Mazembe.
– EVANS KANGWA: The player who did not kick the ball at AFCON 2012 when he travelled as a junior understudy currently plays for Russian club Arsenal-Tula and is a deputy Chipolopolo captain.
– NATHAN SINKALA: The midfielder is still active and currently plays for South Africa PSL club Stellenbosch FC whom he joined two seasons ago from TP Mazembe.
– EMMANUEL MAYUKA: Zambia’s star striker at AFCON 2012 has just left NAPSA Stars following their relegation to the second tier at the end of 2020/2021 seasons.
Mayuka spent two years at Napsa where scored six league goals last season and another five goals in the 2020/2021 CAF Confederation Cup in which he played an influential part in their debut qualification to the group stage.
Napsa also became the first Zambian club to advance to the league phase of continental competition on the first attempt.
– JONAS SAKUWAHA: The ex- El Merreikh striker is retired and is currently a coach at Zesco United’s developmental team.
Sakuwaha is also a prominent pundit on SuperSport’s live TV broadcast of Zambia Super League matches.
– JOSHUA TITIMA: The ex-Power Dynamos and Mufulira Wanderers goalkeeper is still active and is currently number one at FAZ Super League club Indeni.
– NYAMBE MULENGA: The ex-Zesco United defenders’ career prematurely came to an end following a road traffic accident in December 2014 en route to Chipolopolo’s pre-2015 AFCON camp in Lusaka.
It was in the same accident involving a Zesco club bus that left then call-up and midfield prospect Changwe Kalale paralyzed and who subsequently passed away in December 2017.
Nyambe is currently employed as a mechanic at the Ndola workshop of the national power utility Zesco Limited who are the principal sponsors of Zesco United.
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