Meet Haines (pronounced Heinz) Nawa Munene (above), 23, Lozi by tribe, and the most recent guest on our Sunday night radio show – The Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring George da Soulchild – airing from 20.30 – 21.30 hrs on Zambezi 107.7 fm, Livingstone’s popular local radio station. Haines is a sports presenter on the station as well as running a business with his sister importing and selling clothes. A live wire if ever there was one, with an encyclopaedic knowledge of all things soccer and a keen interest in rugby too. In this regard it was unfortunate that Haines appeared on our show on the same day it was announced that Owen Busange, famous Zambian rugby player and coach had been killed, together with two other people, in a traffic accident – we expressed our sincere sympathies on air.

Haines told listeners that he was educated at Linda Secondary School, that he’s a Chelsea supporter (editor sighs heavily) and that he had been involved with Zambezi fm since 2007 when he was picked by the station’s ‘Man On Sport’ Patrick Kasoka to help him present international and local sports news and current affairs twice per week on air.

Haines has 9 siblings and although his father has passed away, his mum still helps with the family business in Livingstone. “Almost a football team on its own” I commented drily. “And there are two sets of twins” was Haines’ retort! I asked him how he’d got his interest in soccer and he replied (quote) “at school we were some of those who enjoyed talking sport and not eating fritters during the breaks” (unquote). We laughed. What kind of music did he like? Reggae, R&B and Kalindula. Which local soccer team did he support? Power Dynamos in Kitwe.

The music on the show was great. We opened with the UK number one (as we do) Nicole Scherzinger’s ‘Don’t Hold Your Breath’ coupled with Ciara’s ‘If Only’. George chose Zonefam’s ‘Shaka Zulu’ and Exile’s ‘In Love With You’ for our standard two local tracks. Milli Jam chose Ne-Yo’s ‘Don’t Wanna Be In Love’ and Big Sean’s ‘My Last’. Bit obsessed with Ne-Yo is our Milli Jam, but we love it! Taio Cruz and ‘Telling The World’ then Pitbull featuring Kacy with ‘Castles Made of Sand’ closed the programme.

We gave away the usual dinner for two to the first person to text us telling us what job Haines did at 107.7 fm and we had an excellent response. The winner was Mapalo but the guys in the studio couldn’t tell me if this was a boy or a girl’s name. As soon as we announced the name of the winner we received another text message from Mapalo telling us that she was all girl and that she was coming to the lodge on Tuesday for dinner! More laughter. We sometimes wonder if the weekly prize is the only reason people listen to the show! Surely not…

We asked Haines about his ambitions for the future. He told listeners that he wanted the football team he’s involved with in Livingstone – Eastlands FC – to make a lot of progress in Zambian football and that in 10 years’ time he’d like to be a presenter on SkySports in UK. By 2020 he wanted to be married.

“Go for it”! We said.