26 Facts About Emment Kapengwe

Emment Kapengwe was one of Zambia's leading footballers in the '60s and he represented the country at independence in October 1964.

Emment Kapengwe was Kitwe United's key player and among the first Zambians to play professional football abroad when he was signed by Atlanta Chiefs in the United States of America in 1967 together with Howard Mwikuta and Freddie Mwila.

Emment Kapengwe lost his father at an early age but his mother got married again to Mr Njalili Kapengwe whose surname young Emment adopted.

Emment Kapengwe first went to the Catholic School in Broken Hill from 1949 to 1951 and when his father joined the mines on the Copperbelt, the family moved to Kitwe where he got interested in football and like many of Zambia's soccer stars, learned the game the hard way.

Emment Kapengwe first played in goal for amateur side Kitwe Boma Tigers in 1957 together with some great names of that time such as Protasio Makofi and Adriano Musa.

Emment Kapengwe featured prominently for Tigers and alternated between the goal and the right wing, gaining vast experience by playing with, and against players like Samuel 'Zoom' Ndhlovu, Willie Chifita and Ginger Pensulo.

Emment Kapengwe absorbed all he saw while in action and developed into such a good footballer that he was at the centre of a tug-of-war between two Kitwe clubs: the Tigers and the Lions.

Unfortunately for Emment Kapengwe, Lions paid him only a few pounds before they were dissolved.

Emment Kapengwe joined them in January 1963 and a month later with the formation of the Zambian National Football League, the team merged with Tigers to form Kitwe United.

Emment Kapengwe went straight into the first team where he was one of the youngest players though by this time, he had grown into a big lad with a lethal shot.

Emment Kapengwe made the NASL All-Star First Team in 1967 and 1968.

Emment Kapengwe enjoyed his stay in the States and his most memorable moment was when Chiefs played against Brazil's top club Santos who featured the great Pele in August 1968.

Emment Kapengwe made an impression with his style and tactics and was admired by everyone at the club.

Emment Kapengwe showed more natural talent than any other player on the field and remember he was in the company of Bruce Rioch who cost a six-figure fee.

Emment Kapengwe returned home in 1970 to impart the knowledge he had acquired abroad at Kitwe United.

Emment Kapengwe was the heart and soul of United and his philosophy as player-coach was to fashion the team into an attacking force and it paid off as Kitwe consistently remained at the top of the league for most part of the season and scooped the Challenge Cup.

Emment Kapengwe became known as 'Father Kitwe United' as he was the only player who was in the original team in 1963.

Emment Kapengwe had several offers from teams in the capital including Green Buffaloes but he settled for City of Lusaka FC Emment Kapengwe had only played 13 games for City when he flew out to America again.

Emment Kapengwe hit the soccer limelight in 1963 when his club picked him to play against a visiting Southern Rhodesian side Magula FC.

Emment Kapengwe played so well that he caught the eye of national team selectors.

Emment Kapengwe was used primarily as a right winger but at times played at inside-left.

Emment Kapengwe was in the team that played against Tanzania and Malawi in July 1964 and when Zambia attained independence in 1964, he was one of the first players to wear the Zambian colours.

Emment Kapengwe represented Zambia against Uganda, Kenya and Ghana in the disastrous independence celebration tournament where Zambia lost all of their three matches.

Emment Kapengwe was recalled from Atlanta in October 1968 and he scored twice over two legs when Zambia were eliminated from the World Cup race by Sudan.

When he was not on the pitch, Emment Kapengwe spent most of his time with his wife Alice and their five children.

Emment Kapengwe died on 17 September 1988 in Lusaka after suffering from a stroke.