Former Zambia national team captain Rainford Kalaba is currently in critical condition after being involved in a tragic road accident on Saturday, April 13th.
The incident occurred when Kalaba’s vehicle collided head-on with a truck on the Kafue road in Zambia, causing it to roll off the road. Kalaba’s partner, who was driving the Mercedes with him, was also injured in the crash.
After the accident, Kalaba was rushed to the University Teaching Hospital, where he was placed in an induced coma due to the severity of his injuries. A post on TP Mazemba’s Facebook page provided an update on Kalaba’s condition, stating that he was declared dead by the emergency services but the doctors were able to revive him and place him in an artificial coma. However, his situation remains critical.
The 37-year-old former footballer had recently retired from professional football after enjoying a successful career with clubs such as ZESCO United, Braga, and Gil Vicente. Kalaba spent 12 years at TP Mazembe, making over 250 appearances for the club. He was a key player for the Zambian national team, earning 103 caps and helping them win the Africa Cup of Nations in 2012. Kalaba also achieved success with Mazembe, winning the CAF Champions League title in the 2014/15 season.
Throughout his career, Kalaba had the opportunity to play abroad, featuring for clubs in Portugal like Braga, Gil Vicente, and Leiria. Our thoughts are with Rainford Kalaba and his family during this difficult time, and we hope for his swift and full recovery.
