To South Africa By Matatu

Two Italian NGOs - namely L'Altropallone and Karibu Africa - , have organized a "Matatu" trip from Nairobi to South Africa.(“Matatu” is what public transport minibuses are called in Kenya). The aim of the trip is to promote football as a game that brings people together across race and tribe, and of course as an enjoyable physical activity.

Wherever the travellers go, they stop and organize small tournaments with local children. They arrived in Lusaka on June 5, in a team of five people, and we organized to receive them. That same day we played together in our primary school, Tubalange, and the following day they organized a tournament in Kanyama, one of the most populous compounds in Lusaka. 

We, the Mthunzi football team, won in the under 17 category. Their matatu developed some mechanical problems in the meantime but our mechanic, Chavu, fixed it.

The presence of these matatu travellers in Mthunzi was an occasion for a lot of drumming and dances. Much to our regret, they left for Kafue and Zimbabwe the following day.

By Protazio Phiri,