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Al-Ahly announced his first winter contract, represented by El Gouna forward: Walter Bwalya?
A question mark at the end of the opening paragraph, because it is not the real name of the player, but a nickname.
The name of the new Al-Ahly striker is not the only question mark about him, but also his nationality.
FilGoal.com Contact a source close to the player and get some explanations.
First, what is the history of the name?
The source replied: “His real name is Heritier Benigny Sapua, but he became famous as Walter Bwalya after moving to play in Zambia.”
Second, what is the truth about nationality?
The source explained: “Walter was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo to a Zambian father and a Congolese mother.”
He continued: “Due to the civil war, Walter left with his family for Zambia at the age of 6.”
She continued: “Walter continued to come to the Democratic Republic of the Congo to visit his mother, who stayed there until her death two years ago.”
He concluded: “Walter’s wish was to represent the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but then he decided to represent Zambia, pending the international convocation.”
Crisis 2017
FilGoal.com He searched the archives of some sites in Zambia and already discovered how his name and nationality caused controversy there several years ago.
Bwalya played for Lubumbashi Sport Congo, then went to the Zambian League from the Forest Rangers portal, and settled in Nkana, where he made a name and reputation that put him on the radar of North African clubs before winning El Gouna and present it to the Egyptian League.
Bwalya scored 24 goals in the 2016 Zambian League with the Nkana jersey and was the top scorer in the competition, but in 2017 he was suspended on the pretext of not having Zambian nationality and therefore his registration on the list. de la Nkana as a local player was wrong.
“Our colleagues in the Immigration Department have assured us that Bwalya is a Congolese citizen,” said Matthews Nirungu, director of the Zambia Registration Authority, in statements published by the Zambia Daily Mail in June 2017.
The cause of the crisis was the CEO of Lusaka Dynamos, who addressed the Zambian federation claiming that Bwalya was not eligible to play in the league because he did not have an international card.
At that time, Bwalya’s real name first appeared: Heritier Benigni Sapua, and his former club, Lubumbashi Sports, claimed that the player was still in possession of his Congolese name and demanded his transfer fee from Nkana.
“Lubumbashi Sports complained to me,” said Serge Nkundi, Sports Minister of the Congolese Haute Katanga region: “This player is Congolese and his club here could not play in Zambia. He disappeared a few years ago.”
“We don’t want to spoil his career, Nkana should pay compensation to Lubumbashi Sports for playing illegally in Zambia.”
The Congolese Football Association at that time presented the player’s identification card and showed his original name: Heriter Benigny Sapua.
The following month, Bwalya said: “The situation is disturbing for me. We have provided all the necessary documents for the Zambian Football Association. I am surprised that you have not obtained a playing permit yet. This is unfair.”
He added: “What should I do now? This is very sad. My career has suffered and my team loses my services in this difficult season.”
In August of the same year, the situation was finally settled and Bwalia was able to participate with his team, and after the match ended, Bwalia refused to speak to journalists, expressing dissatisfaction with the treatment he had received during the crisis.
In the end, it doesn’t matter if his name is Walter or Heretier, or if he is of Congolese or Zambian nationality, all Al-Ahly fans will expect from their new striker is that he scores … a lot of goals.
