Red Arrows star stabbed to death

By DIANA MUTAKAFIMBO and ELIZABETH CHATUVELA
RED Arrows midfielder Chiwanki Lyainga has died.
Lyainga, 29, was stabbed to death by unknown people in Lusaka’s Kamwala South area around 11:00 hours on Monday.
Both his auntie Patricia Mulenga and his friend Jonathan Kaonga confirmed Lyainga’s death in separate interviews in Lusaka yesterday.
Kaonga, who was with Lyainga prior to his death, explained that the former international was stabbed after a brawl.
“He came to Kamwala South yesterday (Monday) between 11:00 and 12:00 hours. We went to a nearby place and we started having some drinks. After some time, I felt hungry and went to eat nshima at home.
“After about two hours, I received a call from another colleague Masauso Phiri that there was chaos and Chiwanki was stabbed with a knife. Before I reached the place, he was already taken to the hospital [University Teaching Hospital]. I rushed to the hospital and when I got there, I was told to check in the Brought In Dead (BID) section and I found his body. We suspect he died on the way to the hospital,” Kaonga said.
Mulenga said her nephew went to meet his brother in Kamwala South.
“He was stabbed in the neck, forehead and chest near the ribs and he bled too much,” Mulenga said.
And Red Arrows’ chairman Katavya Banda said Lyainga will be greatly missed by the club.
Banda said Lyainga, together with midfielder Lawrence Pondani and striker Simon Lupiya, were recalled to the club although they were yet to be registered.
“He played for Young Arrows then Red Arrows. He then went for military training and afterwards went to do a diploma course in catering at Fairview Hotel. After he completed his course about a year ago, he came back with his other colleagues but we gave them time off. We then recalled them, started training with the team but we were yet to register them,” he said.
Banda said Lyainga was looking very sharp in training and the technical bench thought he would bring experience to the team.
“It is very sad, he was a young talented player who could have contributed a lot to Zambian football,” Banda said.
Lyainga, who also featured for Power Dynamos, will be best remembered for his combination with Judge Mkandawire on the wings both for Young and Arrows, which impressed former national team coach Herve Renard.
Lyainga was part of the national team that finished third at the 2008 Cosafa Senior Championship in South Africa.
He was also part of the Arrows squad that reached the second round of the 2009 Confederation Cup after losing 4-3 on aggregate to Egyptian side Enppi.
The funeral is at house number 222 Musamba in Chilanga.
Meanwhile, Deaf Association of Zambia president Prosper Mulinda has died.
Mulinda died after a short illness in Lusaka on Sunday.
According to a family representative, funeral gathering is at Mulinda’s house in Lusaka’s Kanyama and burial is expected to take place today.
And National Sports Council of Zambia chairman Mwamba Kalenga said Mulinda was a dedicated sports administrator, who was determined to develop sport among the deaf.