Power or no power, Zambian fans won't miss a match

Since their surprise football win at the African Cup of Nations, Zambians have believed in miracles.

So while their tiny Olympic team stands little chance of claiming a medal in London, the nation is glued to their screens.At least, when the power is on.Fans in the capital, Lusaka, hop from one sports bar to another in search of generator-powered televisions amid frequent and frustrating unscheduled power outages owing to ageing infrastructure.

As swimmer Zane Jordan competed in a 100m backstroke heat at the Aquatic Centre beside the main Olympic stadium last Sunday, there was a power cut in Lusaka.

“I am extremely disappointed with ZESCO (Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation) for these constant blackouts that we are experiencing, complained Fines Muyumba, a patron at the Nenas guest house in Lusaka's Chilenje neighbourhood.

“This is unacceptable and we can't continue moving from one bar to another.” ZESCO has warned of further cuts in the capital in the coming days owing to a scheduled 48-hour shutdown of one of the country's main hydro-electric generators.

A Lusaka boxing fan wishes he lived in the remote countryside where rural dwellers rely on small stand-by generators as they are not on the national grid.

“It is better to just live in the village and not here where we don't have power,” laments Tungson Zimba.Unaccustomed to international sporting accolades, the southern African country captured the limelight in February when its national football team surprisingly won the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, embarrassing Didier Drogba-led giants Ivory Coast in the final in Gabonese capital Libreville.The country is banking on miracles to bring back medals from the Olympics.

“The team has very slim chances to win a medal, but some times sport is about luck and miracles do happen,” said Clement Chileshe, director of the Olympic Youth Development Centre.The state-of-the-art multi-sport facility, formally opened in May 2010 by then Zambian president Rupiah Banda and International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge, is used to train Zambians.

Chileshe said that through the centre, Zambians have adopted a scientific approach to sport and with such mentality, he would not be surprised if some of the athletes spring surprises in London.AFP