Henry Mulenga, 24, of Ndeke Township in Kitwe was among the Power Dynamos football club fans that were reportedly caught up in a violent brouhaha during a week 11 Zambian Super League match involving Dynamos and Zambia Army sponsored side Green Buffaloes at the Arthur Davies Stadium in Kitwe on November 5.
The club has also said contrary to social media reports that Mulenga had died during the fracas, he “is alive and recovering steadily but in great pain. He has head and body injuries inflicted by fists and kicks, therefore the club is monitoring his condition.”
Power Dynamos fans allegedly threw objects at the Green Buffaloes keeper Geoffrey Silavwe for “applying delaying tactics” when his team was leading 1:0.
According to several reports and eyewitnesses at the match venue, the situation did not go well with the visiting fans as they followed the home fans and engaged in a fight in trying to protect their goalkeeper which resulted in the game being paused for about 15 minutes by centre referee Audrick Nkole.
However, many Power Dynamos fans took to social media and accused Green Buffaloes of sending Zambia Army soldiers to beat them up, an event which which left many of them injured.
Meanwhile, in a statement issued by Power Dynamos today, the club has condemned the violence “which left a lot of people seriously injured by the visiting supporters.”
The club has further disclosed that they have officially complained to the Football Association of Zambia(FAZ) about the conduct of the Buffaloes supporters adding that they have received an exculpatory request from the Association on the violence.
“The club also wishes to condemn the behaviour of its fans who resort to throwing objects on the pitch each time they feel agitated by the proceedings of a match,” read the statement.
“Such conduct has the potential to attract serious consequences both to the club and an individual level and must be abhorred by anyone who desires to protect the interests of the club and the game.”