THE STORY of Nkafwa Nayo dates back in 1950s when Zambia(Northern Rhodesia) began playing teams from the DRC as early as 1943.
The Congolese were far superior and the score lines were incredibly embarrassing for zambia – 12 :0 , 9:0 were common defeats at the hands of DRC (Zaire by then).
Embarrassed goalkeepers during those shameless defeats began to make up wild claims of seeing lions, knives and locomotives whenever Congolese strikers shoot at goal.
One Zambian goalkeeper from Luanshya by the name of Yotham Mabange was the only goalkeeper who reduced the scoreline defeats from 12:0, 9:0 to 2:1 and 1:0.
Congolese players where amazed by this improvement of Zambian goalkeepers.
Mabange was warned that when they play against Congo, he would face a lot of juju and magic but his reply was; “TETI INE NKAFWA NAYO BOLA MUMINWE”.
That’s how the name Nkafwanayo came about. There was no such occurrences about a goalkeeper dying on the pitch with a ball in his hands.
