Changwe Kalale

From Chalo Chatu, Zambia online encyclopedia
Changwe Kalale
Changwe Kalale 2.jpg
Personal information
Full name Changwe Kalale
Date of birth 17 December 1994
Date of death December 17, 2017(2017-12-17) (aged 23)
Place of death Lusaka, Zambia
Playing position Midfielder
Club information
Current team
Chambishi FC

Changwe Kalale (17 December 1994 — 17 December 2017) was a former Under 17 National Team and Chipolopolo midfielder. In 2014 he was confined to a wheel chair after being in a road accident alongside former Zambian defender Nyambe Mulenga.

Football career

Kalale was a defensive midfielder from FAZ Division One North club, Chambeshi FC.[1] Kalale was the vice captain of the Under 17 team that had Enock Mwepu and Patson Daka (skipper).

His last game was when he played in the final qualifying game of the Niger 2015 U17 Africa Cup against Uganda where Zambia won 2 – 1 away with a brace from Daka to qualify on a 4 – 2 aggregate scoreline.

His exploits with the Junior team earned him a call up to the senior team for a friendly against Ivory Coast and then Chipolopolo coach Honor Janza followed this up by naming him in the 26 man provisional squad for back to back games against Mozambique and Cape Verde Islands in November 2014.

At 16, Kalale was named in the provisional 2015 Africa Cup of Nations squad and he unfortunately was injured in a road accident on his way to the national team camp in Lusaka.[2]

Road accident

On 14 December 2014, Kalale of Chambishi Football Club, Chipolopolo defender Nyambe Mulenga and Choma Green Eagles goalkeeper Satchmo Chakawa sustained serious injuries in a car accident on their way to join the Zambia National Team’s pre-2015 Africa Cup training camp in Lusaka.[1]

Changwe Kalale in wheelchair in 2015

The accident occurred on the Great North Road near Kabwe. The driver of the Zesco United Toyota Hiace, Mwiza Ndovi, together with three other passengers from the Toyota Prado died on the spot while eight others sustained injuries.[3] A right broken thigh, a broken leg and a spinal injury left Kalale with limited movement from the waist down, and the midfielder - who was one of Zambia's most promising young players - was told by doctors that he may never walk again, let alone kick a football.[4]

Kalale was expected to be one of Zambia's top prospects at the 2015 CAF U17 Cup in Niger in February 2015 where the Junior Chipolopolo made their tournament debut.[5]

Awards and honours

In 2015 Kalale was crowned Division One (North) Chambishi 2014 best player. He was awarded during the team's end-of-year-party at Chambishi Recreation Club.[6]

Death

Kalale was taken to the University Teaching Hospital for review but was found with an infection in his blood. He was then put on medication and admitted to the Intensive Care Unit on 14 December 2017. He passed away on 17 December, the day he was turning 23.[7][8]

References

<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" />