(FAZ) The Kalundu community along Mumbwa road in Lusaka turned up in hundreds to bid farewell to Solwezi Academy Queens players Mukuka Chewe who is one of the four squad members that died in a road traffic accident on Saturday.
Nineteen-year-old Mukuka migrated from Lusaka to Solwezi to advance her promising football career.
FAZ president Andrew Kamanga who spoke through Lusaka Province chairperson Jordan Maliti thanked the community for giving the player a befitting send-off.
Various members of the community, church members of St Daniel United Church of Zambia Congregation, FAZ secretariat staff and Kafue Celtic Women’s Football Club were part of the crowd that gathered at Kalundu Cemetery in Lusaka.
Mukuka started her playing career at Kalundu Youngsters where she crafted a reputation of playing football with boys as she had proved too good for her gender.
She later trekked to Kafue Celtic before briefly consorting with Eastern Girls in Chipata.
Mukuka’s football exploits then took her to Solwezi where she joined Solwezi Academy Queens.
“The last few days have seen an outpouring of grief in solidarity with our fallen heroines. The experiences of the last few days have taught us that it does not matter how long you live on earth to leave an impact. The player that we bury today touched our lives long enough for us to celebrate her today. Many will remember the joyful moments they left us with on and off the pitch,” Kamanga said.
“Fellow mourners, as we mourn our departed, may we also reflect on the kind of legacy that we intend to leave in our game. The women’s game has grown today partly because of the contribution of players like the lady we are burying today. The passion and sacrifices of young ladies with a burning passion to fulfil their God given talents has been part of the drive in the growth of our game. The only way to honour the memories of this group of young players we have lost is to continue working hard. Giving up on their dreams of fulfilling their God given talents would be a gross injustice to the deceased. “
Kamanga thanked various people that had joined in helping ease the burden for the families.
He thanked government for facilitating the evacuation of the survivors to the University Teaching Hospital and facilitating the reparation of the remains of the deceased to various burial points.
Two of the deceased were from Lusaka while the others were from Ndola, Chingola and Solwezi.
FAZ has been working closely with government to smoothen the send-off of the deceased and provide treatment for the survivors.
The Solwezi Queens Academy bus was involved in a road traffic accident on Saturday morning as the team was heading to Mpika for a league match against Mpika Doves.
Four players died on the spot with an assistant coach while four players were seriously injured.
The seriously injured players were evacuated to Lusaka and are admitted at the University Teaching Hospital.