Big Bullets fans fondly call their exciting winger Dalitso Sailesi ‘Di Maria’, his fellow players call him ‘Achimenya’ and he calls himself ‘Rosicky’— after the Czech midfield star.
The little genius is blessed with sublime skill—that cheeky body swerve and oh boy, those twists and turns that have turned him into a darling of Bullets fans.
Off the pitch, the boy Dalitso is also a cheerful fella—more of a comedian. I was privileged to accompany the People’s Team on a tour of duty to Tanzania’s capital Dar es Salaam enroute to the Comoros earlier this year when they revived their romance with the CAF Champions League.
It was a 1 900 kilometre trip to Dar and that I did not get bored by the long journey was because of Dalitso’s ingenuity to entertain. Soon after we passed the Tanzanian boarder, the naughty Dalitso mocked one of the senior players, saying: “Anganga, mpirawu mwachitako, kwinaku tisiyireni. Uwu ndi mwayi wanu kuti kandalama mwalandira kaja mukagulire katundu woyambira bizinezi.”
And on our way back, Dalitso ‘cursed’ the senior player for not taking his advice, saying: “Akulu inu ndi okanika, mukangoyambapo usin’ganga basi, apo bii timva kuti mwayamba kuphunzitsa ana kujowa-jowa usiku [kutamba].”
I have been reminded about Dalitso’s mischief because of Super League of Malawi’s (Sulom) move to introduce Mpira Sacco for players as one way of helping them to save so that they can have a ‘starterpack’ after their careers, like embarking on like ulimi wamthirira after their careers.
Maybe, Dalitso can now advise the senior player to start saving through the noble Mpira Sacco initiative. AOB: I am now Leicester fan on loan from Chelsea. Lol! Glory be to God. Uloliwe…uloliwe wayidudula hah!, neng’esiza [The train is pushing].] n
