Mazembe arrive for Champions League game in Botswana but risked bus attacks with road trip

Posted On Thursday, 14th March 2013

Yaw Frimpong and Daniel Nii Adjei in Botswana with TP Mazembe team

By Ameenu Shardow

The TP Mazembe team which includes five Ghanaians have arrived in Gaborone for their CAF Champions League game against Mochudi Center Chief.

The team left Lubumbashi on Monday on-board their giant Mercedes Benz bus on a nine-hour journey to Zambia to acclimatize.

The four-time African champions trained at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola for a day before jetting off in their private jumbo jet to Gaborone.

It is however unclear why the team chose to travel by road to Zambia fully aware of the risks involved.

Football teams are easy targets whenever travelling by road for armed robbery and rebel attacks.

The unfortunate incident with the Togo national team in 2010 readily comes to mind.

The team bus came under heavy fire attack on their way to their base in Cabinda for the African Cup of Nations hosted by Angola.

This led to the death of two and injury to others – ultimately resulting in the team’s withdrawal from that tournament.

Thankfully, the TP Mazembe team did not encounter such an ordeal but should be very wary of such travels in future.

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READERS COMMENTS

One Andy says:

March 14, 2013 at 1:26 pm

GSN This is not the first time TP Mazembe is coming to Ndola for their trainning.There are no rebel threats between Lubumbashi and Ndola and its not a 9 hour journey as you have put it. besides Ndola which is on the Copperbelt of Zambia is not very far from lubumbashi.They came to train and not to acclamatise. CORRECTION -We have never had any rebels in Zambia!

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Cheng doo says:

March 14, 2013 at 1:57 pm

There are no rebels in Zambia and they will never be,equally Botswana is a safe country.The reason they train in Zambia is that apart from air transport,Copperbelt Province of Zambia is nearer to Lubumbashi than going to their capital

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@HK says:

March 14, 2013 at 2:07 pm

Zambia is a very peaceful country which has never had any rebel activity since the time of late Ian Smith of the then Southern Rodesia and Savimbi of Angola

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Agenda says:

March 14, 2013 at 4:46 pm

Ok,Zambian friends thanks for that bit of explanation.U make our hearts rest,at least cos of the Ghanaian interest,u know. Thank again bros.

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Don Justy says:

March 14, 2013 at 5:38 pm

Gsn, why this sudden interest in the reportage of tp mazembe matches. C’mon u’re making it too obvious abt what has change hands…lol

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Don Justy says:

March 14, 2013 at 5:40 pm

Gsn, why this sudden interest in the reportage of tp mazembe matches. C’mon u’re making it too obvious abt what has change hands…lool

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Wewe says:

March 17, 2013 at 8:12 am

Lubumbashi is 100 kms from Chingola in Zambia, which is 45 kms to Kitwe, another 65 kms from Kitwe to Ndola on a dual Carriage way (4 way lane -2 each direction), the last time I drove this distance it took me less than 1hr 45 mins. The Concgolese part was a bit rough but under maintenance, while the Zambian section has always been all tarred and very smooth. No matter how much you beat Zambian teams, the people will cheer you instead of booing or stoning you or resorting to other harm or such things. So there is bit or lack of appreciation by the writer of this article on the situation on the ground in Zambia. Katumbi Moses (onwer of TP Mazembe Englebert) just left Kitwe to go and take up his appointment as Governor of Katanga. Before that Mazembe used to train in Kitwe, which they do whenever playing a Zambian Team.Even if they had driven to Botswana, it is also very peaceful apart from the desert heat. The people are serene and peaceful.

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