Man who cycled bicycle from Lusaka to Chipata for Ncwala finally meets Mpezeni
THEY say love makes people do crazy and unthinkable things and James Falanga, a Kaonde man who cycled all the way from Lusaka to Chipata just to attend the Ncwala Traditional Ceremony and shake hands with Paramount Chief Mpezeni IV of the Ngoni people has proven just that.
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For six long days, Falanga’s legs worked tirelessly, pushing pedals over 500 kilometers of Zambian terrain, through scorching heat and the occasional pothole ambush just to arrive in the Ngoni Kingdom.
And finally, his dream of meeting the king himself came true yesterday.
Falanga was escorted to Ephendukeni Palace by Chipata mayor George Mwanza for a farewell meeting with the king where he received royal blessings before making his return to Lusaka.
In an interview, Mwanza, who had facilitated Falanga’s stay shared that he had never seen Mpezeni so overjoyed
“We are very happy with him. Today he met with the king and the king was very happy. He had a chat with him and I have never seen the king that happy,” shared Mwanza.
Mwanza further called on bicycle companies to recognize Falanga’s endurance and offer him support,
Falanga, a proud Kaonde man defied tribal boundaries in his quest to honour the Ngoni king, a gesture that Mpezeni acknowledged with great enthusiasm.
When asked how he could have felt if he didn’t get the chance to meet the king despite his efforts, Falanga stated that he would have been disappointed but would still not have given up.
“My dream has come true, I really love the king and the Ngoni culture, the Ncwala ceremony. I really love everything about this ceremony and so it has always been my dream to meet the king,” he shared.
“I’m so so happy today, I have received blessings from my father, I wil always be proud of him everywhere I wil go. I love Ngoni Kingdom.”
And Mpezeni assured Falanga of further support, as businesses and well wishers in Chipata flocked to recognise his incredible feat.
By Catherine Pule
Kalemba, February 26, 2025