By Aaron Mubanga
Indeni Football club won promotion to the Super League in 2020 and managed to maintain their top tier status in their first season after a six-year absence.
The oilo men have managed to build a unit of players with a mixture of experience and fresh legs. Aaron Katebe offers experience at the back while Graven Chitalu leads the line with his experience.
One of the key players among the new crop is midfielder Clement ‘Jakuzi’ Mulenga who has made himself an invaluable member of the squad playing in a box-to-box midfield role for the Ndola-based outfit.
The ZamFoot Crew caught up with Mulenga who is enjoying his football in Ndola on his second stint with the club.
“I joined Indeni football club in 2019 and later on moved to Shamuel academy in 2020, after playing for Shamuel for six months I developed as a player in some areas and attracted a lot of teams including Indeni. I decided to rejoin Indeni football club and my experience has been amazing since I came back with the team, the team has helped me to develop as a player both mentally and physically,” Mulenga told the ZamFoot Crew.
“My overall journey has been tough but the harder it gets the stronger I become as a player,” he added.
When asked about the toughest match he has played so far, Mulenga singled out a match against the current Super League log leaders, Green Buffaloes but was quick to praise the quality of midfielders in the league.
“So far my toughest match was against GBFC, Zambian super league has a lot of good midfielders so I take each game seriously because all the opponents I have faced so far I consider them to be tough but am happy to say that I have dominated in all the games regardless the opponent I face,” he said.
Many football players dream of playing for the biggest names in World Football but for Mulenga who looks up to Power Dynamos midfielder Lameck Kafwaya and the retired Ivorian midfielder Yaya Toure, his dream team is Newcastle.
Mulenga also harbours dreams of playing for the Copper Bullets and he is sure it’s only a matter of time before his dream is realized.
“My dream team is EPL side, New castle. Role models well locally it’s Lameck Kafwaya and world over Yaya [Toure].”
“Discipline on and off the pitch is cardinal. Talent without discipline is nothing. I will work so hard for mother Zambia I believe one day will play for my beloved country. With hard work all things are possible,” he added.
Mulenga is expected in action this afternoon as his club, Indeni takes on Forest Rangers at Arthur Davies Stadium on the return of former Chipolopolo assistant coach Dabid Chilufya.
