The following statement was delivered from the offices of former President Rupiah Banda.
His Excellency Mr Rupiah Bwezani Banda, the Fourth President of the Republic of Zambia, has expressed confidence that the Zambia national soccer team has what it takes to overcome the Ugandan Cranes’ impressive home record in tomorrow’s make-or-break 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Kampala.
The former President says the Chipolopolo Boys have reached a level where they cannot be intimidated by their opponents’ records as was exemplified at the 2012 finals where they defied all odds to win their maiden African title in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.
“We are aware that the Ugandan Cranes are a good side as we saw when they played our team in the first leg in Ndola. We are equally alive to their good home record which has remained clean since 2004. But this is what should encourage our boys to rise to the occasion and make us proud,” the former head of state says.
President Banda has urged Zambia coach Herve Renard and all his players to bear in mind that they have “the support of all of us here in Zambia” as they take on Uganda, and that their focus should just be on nothing but qualification to the South Africa edition of the African Cup of Nations.