‘Great’ Kalu backs Lungu

The 1988 African Footballer of the Year has called on Zambians to turn up in huge numbers to vote for what he describes as “the winning team”.

“In soccer we say ‘you do not change the winning team,” Mr Bwalya said, “President Edgar Lungu has shown true leadership qualities, his humility for instance is too humbling and it makes him approachable to many Zambians…that is what we need in a leader instead of arrogance and contempt towards ordinary people. President Lungu ‘walks the walk and talks the talk’.”

Bwalya says, as a soccer administrator, he has never worked with a better President than Lungu and I mean no disrespect for his predecessor. President Lungu is just special in the way he treated and continues to treat the boys. He is their greatest confidence booster.”

This is the first time that the former Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) President, Chipolopolo Captain and coach has openly made what can ostensibly be called a political statement.

“I like to steer clear off politics completely but my personal knowledge of President Lungu has made it extremely easy for me to publicly state that I support him and I beseech all right thinking Zambians to back him fully because he is a tested leader, a humble leader and a tenacious President who means good for this country. Please vote for him,” Bwalya said.

The Presidential race ticket, on a national level, is crowded with about a dozen aspirants including President Edgar Lungu but Mr Bwalya said, “I humbly think I know how to pick a Winner and out of that crowded space, President Lungu makes the most sense President Lungu makes it beyond the finish line without a foul in my experienced view is a person who has been privileged enough to pick a winning team before.”

The “Great Kalu” endorsement has been welcomed by others such as Given Lubinda, the Agriculture Minister who is also a key member of the PF Campaign Team,

“Mr Kalusha Bwalya, the most known person outside Zambia aside from probably Dr Kenneth Kaunda and President Lungu himself has a huge and massive constituency as a man who won Zambia its first ever Africa Cup,” Lubinda said, “his decision to back the Lungu candidature is a decision that must be taken seriously by all Zambians because The Great Kalu has a history of winning and picking Winners.”

Lubinda said what makes the Kalusha endorsement doubly important is the fact that the soccer maestro—Soccer is probably the biggest ‘religion’ in Zambia after Christianity—is an independent person not looking for a job in government or indeed seeking government favour.

Bwalya said President Lungu and his PF team have embarked on a path of development that shall help create jobs as they roll out roads, hospitals, schools and railway lines.

“The infrastructure roll out in my view is a winner for President Lungu because the results benefit everyone including those opposed to him because they have to drive on roads in order to do their campaigns…President Lungu means well.