Honouring Kayakangu Malange: Basketballer extraordinaire who shone brightest on local scene

 

By Duncan Mlanjira

On the international scene, Malawi’s basketball has always ranked the lowest, but locally the sport exuded a lot of glamour in the past. Sadly the sport lost that enchantment and all we can do for the moment is to reminisce of the good old days.

The sports Mecca, Blantyre Youth Centre (BYC), has groomed and nurtured countless of stars — from football, tennis, taekwondo, boxing, netball, volleyball and basketball.

Writing an ODE on the legendary NBA legend Kobe Bryant, who died in a helicopter crash in January, private practice lawyer David Kanyenda, former general secretary for Mighty Be Forward Wanderers, took cognizance of what BYC represented at that time.

He wrote: “I spent an early fraction of my childhood in Soche East. This meant we could access Blantyre Youth Center by foot within an hour from home. 

“At least 4 sporting codes were available at the supposed youth recreational facility. Bullets senior and junior teams trained there: Lawrence ‘Lule’ Waya, Chance Gondwe, Mabvuto Lungu, Patrick Mabedi and all.

“Netball, tennis, boxing and basketball were also available in our adolescent years. One major annual attraction was the Blantyre versus Lilongwe basketball All-Stars. It was a showbiz event!

“Zitto Phillips and Moto Khama, the main actors, had the crowd on their feet with their 3 pointers. Polytechnic’s James Gwaza, with his late game slam dunks, fascinated us the young ones.

“…If I thought I had seen the best youth basketball talent, then Chanco had surprises in store. My classmate in law school Victor Jere (VJ) played like he came from another planet — getting big points on the board freely and from range.

“If my memory isn’t betraying me, VJ had at least a couple of Kobe number 8 vests (blue and gold) which he proudly put on.

“Together with Weluzani Chingota, Fipa Nindi, Dumisani Banda, Nijo ‘Liverpool’ Kalumba, Kayakangu Malange and others they swept more than a fair share of national trophies,” Kanyenda reminisced in part.

That is a true reflection of what basketball was about in those days and one of the names Kanyenda made special mention of was Kayakangu (KayMa) Malange, who is described by Victor Jere — his team mate at Chanco — as as a fierce competitor with a huge passion for the game. 

“He would always give you a 101 % — for that’s how much he loved winning. Not only did he always strive to outdo the opponents but even his teammates.

“So if you’re playing well, scoring, dunking etc, Kayma will also try his best to equal if not surpass that. As a result the team played better. 

“He believed he could do pretty much anything and was always ready to learn and try out new stuff — be it dunks etc — you just had to love playing with him.”

Some of the titles KayMa won playing for Chanco Hawks were Samabro 99; Chanco Shield Invitational; Sozobal League Championships; Inaugural Sprite Championship and the PSI Chishango Tournament.

The legend himself says his most memorable highlights include being the 1996 Division 2 champions; being 1995 Sozobal Dunk Champ at 16 years old; being called up for the 1996 All-Stars; being crowned Nozobal champions and winning the G&G Champions.

He was also voted as Player of the Year for the 2003 Entertainers of Entertainers; reclaimed the Sprite Trophy in 2004 while in 2006 he led as coach/player the Cezobal All Stars that wrestled the title which Sozobal All Stars dominated for many years. 

Where did it all start? KayMa says he was introduced to basketball in 1986 whilst at Limbe Primary School through two of his two elder brothers, Lusayo and Mokera Malange, who were being coached by Charles Burmister, a Peace Corp.

Then with his brothers, they would practise the game at their home at Mpingwe Hills in Limbe using a makeshift court. 

Through his brothers, he touched base with senior player, late Humphrey Chipiringu, who worked on KayMa’s shooting basics and how to be a team player. 

He also enjoyed mentorship from Richard Banda, Simeon Gama, Mackson Kazombo, Davis ‘Ada DE’ Mussa and Frank Kapesa.

“I then started to play team organized basketball in 1993 whilst at Chichiri Secondary School and we played for Southern Basketball League (Sozobal) Division 2,” he explains. 

“However, most tournaments were not open for Division 2 clubs. So we played for Sozobal Division One competitions in the open windows.”

He adds that stars then in Division 2 included Dave Kambalametore of Zingwagwa Secondary, Esau from Army Secondary, Lindani Phiri from Kamuzu Academy, Snowden Tewesa, Simeon Gama.

“We were in Division 2 but and gradually we had maturity for Division 1.

“So there was an overlap really. By 1996 we were prodigies and got the recognition. However I consider every player in Division 1 before ‘96 as my senior even though I had matching skills. 

“After ‘96, I was beginning to make a mark on national level. So I can comfortably say 1993-2005 was officially our era.”

After writing his MSCE, KayMa played for Bricks, a new team that had an array of stars, before going to pursue further studies at Chancellor College (Chanco) in Zomba and immediately made the grade for its top league team, the Hawks outright.

“Going to Chanco, I was already a 1996 All-Star Reserve — the list that included Lindani Phiri, Yamiko Samu, Hamlet Kamtengeni, Henry Gomani, Leonard Malemia, Talumba Chilinkhwambe, Weluzani Chingota, Victor Jere, Roy Kachale, Ntchane Jere, Madano Thepetheya, Kingsley Magomero, Nasinuku Saukila among others. 

“Making it into the All-Stars Reserve call up was not a mean achievement by then. By 1998, I was a starter with Bricks that was second in most tournaments — Falcons being the best at that time. 

“Furthermore, I had a short stint in Nozobal where I led Phwezi Secondary School to win at least 3 trophies, plus I was the 1995 Sozobal dunk champ and junior league championship holder.

“So the record I took with me to Chanco guaranteed me a straight place into the Hawks’ first five, in the mix with the likes of Victor Jere and Weluzani as my peers.”

These Chanco Hawks great players, enhanced from other star players from other colleges, formed a terrific side that won the silver medal during the Confederation of Universities & Colleges of Southern Africa (CUCSA) Games in 1996 which Malawi hosted at the Chanco campus at Chirunga.

In Sozobal competitions, KayMa says the team which gave Chanco Hawks a lot of headaches was arch rivals, Poly Bobcats.

“I always joke with them that they treated us as a trophy, hahahaha. Our games had hot rivalry and was heavily contested for — even in a friendly. 

“We used to be troubled with Rutengano ‘Ruba’ Banda because of his lethal basic shot! Chimwemwe Mulaga was a complete nuisance. I remember in ‘98 he made a fool of all of us as Chanco Hawks when he dribbled past the whole team to hand Ruba an assist.”

After Chanco, KayMa rejoined Bricks from 2002-2004 reuniting with the likes of Lindani Phiri, Yamiko Samu, Henry Gomani, Leonard ‘Lenzo’ Malemia, Talumba Chilinkhwambe, Weluzani Chingota, Kingsley Magomero and Victor Jere.

His former teammate at Bricks, Lenzo Malemia pays tribute to KayMa, saying: “Two things stood out always — first his energy. He was too strong for his age. 

“Full of it much more than his fair share of energy. You literally felt you could tap the energy from him to keep you going. 

“Secondly, his focus was total. He never changed gears because you were winning or losing. He  played at the peak of his energy throughout — total focus.”

Another teammate for a year at Bricks, Kingsley Magomero said: “He was such a motivated benevolent fellow. Though he was highly competitive himself, he was also very happy to see others do well — both teammates and opponents.”

At his peak, so were the likes of Daud Suleman (Bull Dogs and Mimbulu); Chimwemwe Mulaga (Bobcats);  Zitto (Falcons); Gabriel (Falcons); Cliff Phiri (Falcons); Nchane Jere (Falcons); Zewere (Mimbulu); Junior Odala (Mimbulu); Chandiwira Munyenyembe (Mimbulu); McNeil Kasonkho (Bricks); Nyenga (Falcons) and many others.

The now entrepreneur, actor, author and public speaker based in Lilongwe says once some basketball legends nominated his name to vie for a post during Basketball Association of Malawi (BASMAL) elections but he got defeated.

“I honored the call because of the trust that I can be a leader but as you know about elections — I lost badly hahahaha! But still I was proud that one of my peers Hope Chisamanga, another legend, made it into BASMAL.”

He is married to Effie Tambala and have three kids: “They are old enough to take on basketball but they often play on their own with neighbours. 

“They know the basics but that’s just it. I hope one day they will grow interest to play seriously.”