HOW DONCHI KUBEBA INSPIRED THE CHIPOLOPOLO TO AFCON VICTORY
Written by; Puncherello Chama
Dandy Crazy was a legend of Zambian music, with numerous hits over the years.
Some Zambians may not know that Dandy was also a huge football fan and, if I’m not mistaken, a Power Dynamos supporter (stand to be corrected).
One of the indelible marks that Dandy Crazy left on Zambian football is that his hit song Donchi Kubeba ( Don’t Tell Them) was used as an informal theme song for the Chipolopolo players during their 2012 AFCON campaign.
To understand why this is so, we have to go back in time to 2012.
Before the 2012 AFCON, few Zambians believed the Chipolopolo could win the tournament, despite the fact that Chris Katongo and his teammates were one of the most experienced squads, second only to Ivory Coast and Ghana.
Many international media outlets dismissed Zambia’s chances, not even ranking the Chipolopolo among the dark horses.
At the same time, back in Zambia, Donchi Kubeba dominated the airwaves and public spaces, becoming a cultural phenomenon.
A number of Chipolopolo players were fans of Dandy Crazy and adopted the Donchi Kubeba dance for their goal celebrations and giving it a football twist. However, the song carried a deeper meaning for the team and became an integral part of their AFCON campaign.
It was a clear message among the players: Don’t Tell Them —Zambia would silently but surely win the 2012 AFCON.
Zambia wasted no time in showcasing this connection. Within 12 minutes of their opening game against a star-studded Senegal side, eight Chipolopolo players celebrated the first goal by dancing the Donchi Kubeba dance together.
The finger to the lips at the end of the celebration signifying “Shhhh” became a signature for the players and was used throughout the campaign.
The Chipolopolo went all the way to the final, lifting the trophy in a poetic moment that saw Dandy Crazy himself traveling to watch the match.
I vividly recall coming out of the house after the final and seeing people on the streets and cars passing by, with some blasting the Donchi
Kubeba anthem.
We sang along in unison, celebrating Zambia’s historic AFCON victory.
What a song, and what a musical icon.
RIP Dandy Crazy.
That song was a PF campaign song.
Please stop lying.