Oh no! Shabilla!
One of my most catchy trips was when I accompanied Big Bullets [then Bakili Bullets] on a tour of duty to Uganda’s capital Kampala for a CAF Champions League qualifier against SC Villa sometime back.
A group of 25 supporters also made the trip.
It was a fun-filled trip and to add extra spice, the People’s Team won the game to qualify into the group stages. It was, therefore, time to celebrate by getting the feel of Kampala and as is usually the case, some fans went a step too deep into excitement and surrendered their souls to the gods of fun.
On the eve of our trip back home, one Malawian fan called Biziwiki arranged two Ugandan ladies. One for him and the other for me. I still remember that their names were Mwangi and Wangali.
However, as I shared some light moments with Mwangi in the lounge, Wangali burst from the room upstairs laughing. When we asked her what was the matter, she simply said ‘eeh Biziwiki has a big thing, I could not stand it!’ [Whatever she meant], but we all burst into laughter.
Since then, Kampala and Ugandan ladies have always had a special place in my heart.
And, therefore, when I heard that Agnes Mtimaukanena would face a Ugandan opponent called Shabilla Namaaga last week in a World Boxing Forum (WBF) lightweight title bout, I was very excited. I thought I would have a chance to turn back the hands of time.
Sadly it wasn’t to be. I hear Shabilaa had to travel by road all the way from Kampala and by the time she got to Songwe border, she was exhausted and had stomach pains having had lots of ‘choma’ [kanyenya] and ugali [nsima] during her long trip.
On a serious note, though, organisers of the fight, Stevie Msiska’s Ngumi Boxing Promotions owes the nation an explanation on why the Ugandan failed to show up.
I wished she came so that she could be taught one or two boxing lessons by our own ‘Golden Girl’ Aggie, who can sting like a bee on her day.
AOB: My thoughts are with my good friend and FAM boss Walter Nyamilandu who lost his better half Maria and his aunt in a car accident at the weekend. May the good Lord guide him through these trying times. My belated thoughts are also with the Maloya family for the untimely death of Hastings. He was such a sociable and cheerful colleague who gave many of us reason to smile. RIP my brother Hastings! RIP aunt Maria!
On a lighter note, I guess the blue side of town has every reason to celebrate following the Nomads and Chelsea’s wins over BB and Arsenal and you could not blame them as they broke into the popular ‘Wakwiya ndi mfiti, wakwiya ndi mfiti!’ Could you ladies and gentlemen?Uloliwe..Uloliwe! Uloliwe wayidudula hi..nang’esiza! [the train is pushing!]
