Manja Pamodzi — Together, We Can Achieve Great Things
On 23 May 2026, the fairways and grounds of Nchanga Golf Club became the centre of one of Chingola's biggest community sporting celebrations as thousands of runners, families, athletes, fitness enthusiasts and supporters came together for the KCM Marathon 2026.
Proudly sponsored by Konkola Copper Mines Plc, the marathon brought the spirit of “Manja Pamodzi” Together, We Can Achieve Great Things to life, transforming race day into a celebration of health, endurance, unity and community.
The event started at 05:00, with Nchanga Golf Club serving as the official venue and starting point.
A Marathon for Everyone
The 2026 edition was designed to make participation accessible to people with different abilities and levels of experience. The programme included the 5km, 10km, 15km, 21km and 42km races, alongside an Executive Walk, a children's event and a dedicated category for differently abled participants.
From seasoned athletes taking on the full marathon to children experiencing the excitement of organised running for the first time, the event created a platform where everyone could participate in their own way.
The response from Chingola was remarkable. Registrations ultimately sold out, with all available places filled ahead of race day a powerful indication of the community's enthusiasm for fitness and the growing stature of the KCM Marathon.
Manja Pamodzi: The Spirit of the Marathon
The 2026 theme captured the essence of the event perfectly.
Manja Pamodzi is about recognising that some of our greatest achievements are possible when we work together. On race day, this spirit could be seen everywhere from runners encouraging one another along the route to volunteers, medical teams, marshals, sponsors, families and spectators working together to create a successful event.
KCM described sport as a powerful force for bringing communities together, highlighting its ability to transcend differences and create shared experiences. The company contributed US$40,000 towards the 2026 marathon, with the event forming part of its wider commitment to community development and social impact.
More Than a Race
The KCM Marathon was conceived as more than a sporting competition.
At its heart was a commitment to health, wellness and community development. The event encouraged participants to become more physically active while creating an environment where families, corporate teams, professional athletes and recreational runners could share the same starting line.
Participants were supported by organised routes, hydration stations, medical assistance and race marshals, helping create a safe and professionally managed race experience.
For Chingola, the marathon also represented an opportunity to showcase the city and its people. The enthusiastic participation demonstrated the appetite for major sporting events that bring communities together and encourage healthier lifestyles.
Investing in Nchanga Golf Club
An important part of the 2026 marathon's legacy was its contribution to the continued development of Nchanga Golf Club.
The marathon was launched with a specific community development objective: to raise funds towards improvements to the club's infrastructure, including the development of changing rooms and other facilities.
This created a meaningful connection between the marathon and the club's wider vision. The event did not simply use Nchanga Golf Club as a venue it contributed towards developing the facility for the benefit of golfers, athletes, families and the wider community.
The marathon also continued the growing relationship between KCM and Nchanga Golf Club, which has included support for sporting development and the revival of junior golf.
A Celebration of Chingola
Perhaps the most memorable aspect of the KCM Marathon 2026 was the atmosphere created by the people of Chingola.
The course became a meeting point for people from different backgrounds and generations. Runners arrived with personal goals some chasing times, some chasing medals, and others simply determined to finish. But once the race began, everyone became part of the same story.
The sold out response, community participation and support along the route demonstrated that the KCM Marathon has developed beyond an annual race. It is becoming a community movement centred on wellness, togetherness and positive living.
A Legacy Beyond the Finish Line
As the final runners crossed the finish line, the 2026 KCM Marathon left behind more than race results.
It left memories.
It inspired people to move.
It brought families together.
It gave athletes a platform to challenge themselves.
It created opportunities for young people.
And it strengthened the connection between sport and community development in Chingola.
For Nchanga Golf Club, hosting the KCM Marathon represents another important chapter in our evolution from a historic golf institution into a vibrant community destination for sport, wellness, family and connection.
The 2026 edition proved the power of the words that defined it:
MANJA PAMODZI.
Together, We Can Achieve Great Things.
And as we look towards the future, the journey continues.
Nchanga Golf Club est. 1936
Where Champions Are Made and Memories Last.
Building Momentum, One Step at a Time
The road to the 2026 KCM Marathon began long before race day.
On 2 May 2026, Nchanga Golf Club came alive with the energy of runners, fitness enthusiasts, families and members of the Chingola community as the KCM Marathon Activation brought the spirit of the marathon to life.
The activation was designed to build excitement ahead of the main KCM Marathon on 23 May 2026, while encouraging the community to embrace fitness, wellness and an active lifestyle. The main marathon was hosted at Nchanga Golf Club and featured multiple distances designed to accommodate participants of different abilities.
A Community Gets Moving
The activation provided an opportunity for participants to get moving, connect with fellow fitness enthusiasts and experience the atmosphere surrounding one of Chingola's biggest community sporting events.
With the marathon built around health, endurance, unity and community spirit, the activation reflected the wider purpose of the event: encouraging people to make physical activity and healthy living part of everyday life.
The enthusiasm surrounding the activation was a reflection of the growing momentum behind the 2026 marathon. By the weeks leading up to race day, registrations had generated significant interest, with the event ultimately reaching sold out status across its race categories.
Manja Pamodzi
The activation also carried the spirit of the marathon's 2026 theme:
“Manja Pamodzi – Together, We Can Achieve Great Things.”
The message captured what the KCM Marathon represents for Chingola. It is not simply about individual runners crossing a finish line; it is about a community coming together around a shared commitment to wellness, resilience and positive change.
The marathon's organisers and partners emphasised sport as a powerful tool for bringing communities together, with KCM describing sport as a universal language capable of connecting people across different backgrounds.
From Activation to Race Day
The activation served as an important stepping stone towards the main event on 23 May 2026, when Nchanga Golf Club once again became the centre of a major community sporting celebration.
The official marathon offered a range of categories, including the 5km, 10km, 21km and 42km distances, alongside inclusive participation opportunities. The event also incorporated medical support, hydration stations and organised routes to create a safe and engaging experience for participants.
The scale of the event reflected the growing appetite for community sport in Chingola, with organisers expecting approximately 2,500 participants for the 2026 marathon.
More Than a Warm-Up
Looking back, the KCM Marathon Activation was more than simply a promotional event. It represented the beginning of a shared journey.
For some, it was the first step towards completing their first race. For others, it was an opportunity to prepare physically and mentally for the challenge ahead. For the community, it was another reminder of the power of sport to bring people together.
From those first steps at the activation to the thousands who eventually gathered for race day, the message remained the same:
Manja Pamodzi. Together, we can achieve great things.
Nchanga Golf Club est. 1936
Where Champions Are Made and Memories Last.
For decades, Nchanga Golf Club has been recognized as one of Zambia's premier championship golf courses a place synonymous with sporting excellence and a rich golfing heritage. Today, however, the club is experiencing a remarkable transformation. While golf remains at its heart, Nchanga Golf Club has evolved into something even greater: a welcoming community destination where families, friends, businesses, athletes and visitors come together to connect, celebrate and create lasting memories.
In a rapidly changing world where meaningful spaces for recreation and social interaction are becoming increasingly valuable, the club has embraced a broader vision. It is no longer seen simply as a place to play golf; it has become a place where the people of Chingola can gather, unwind, stay active, and strengthen community bonds.
From Exclusivity to Inclusivity
Historically, golf clubs around the world have often been viewed as exclusive institutions, reserved for experienced golfers or private members. Nchanga Golf Club is actively reshaping that perception.
Over recent years, the club has opened its doors to a wider audience through public events, junior development programmes, community initiatives, family activities, corporate functions and sporting festivals that welcome people from every walk of life. This shift reflects a conscious commitment to making the club more accessible while preserving the excellence that has defined it for generations.
Whether attending a golf clinic, enjoying a family event, participating in a community run, dining with friends, or simply experiencing the peaceful surroundings, visitors are discovering that Nchanga Golf Club is a place where everyone belongs.
Promoting Health, Wellness and Positive Living
At its core, Nchanga Golf Club promotes a lifestyle built around wellbeing.
Golf is widely recognised as one of the few sports that combines physical activity, mental focus, social interaction, and time spent in nature. Walking the fairways, enjoying fresh air and connecting with others provides benefits that extend well beyond the game itself.
By complementing golf with activities such as community runs, junior coaching programmes, executive walks, and family-oriented events, the club encourages healthier lifestyles for people of all ages. The emphasis is not simply on competition but on creating opportunities for individuals and families to spend meaningful time together in a safe, welcoming environment. (thekcmmarathon.com)
A New Space for Families
For many residents of Chingola, the club has become an alternative to traditional entertainment venues.
Parents introduce children to golf through junior clinics. Friends gather for meals overlooking the course. Families attend tournaments, fun runs and seasonal celebrations. Corporate teams strengthen relationships through golf days and wellness activities. Visitors discover a peaceful setting where they can relax away from the pace of everyday life.
This growing diversity of experiences has helped redefine what Nchanga Golf Club represents. It is increasingly viewed not just as a sporting venue but as one of Chingola's most inviting recreational spaces.
Where Chingola Came Together to Run for a Reason
On 29 March 2025, Nchanga Golf Club became the starting point of a new chapter in Chingola's sporting and community story when it hosted the inaugural KCM Marathon.
Organised by Nchanga Golf Club and supported by Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) Plc, the inaugural event was conceived as more than a race. It was an initiative centred on health, community wellbeing, sports development and opportunity, bringing people together through the universal language of sport. KCM committed US$30,000 towards the event, with Mimbula Mineral Resources and T3 Drilling also among the sponsors announced at the launch. ([LinkedIn][1])
The event set an ambitious target of 2,000 runners, signalling from the outset that the KCM Marathon was intended to become a major fixture on Chingola's sporting calendar.
A Marathon for Everyone
The inaugural marathon was designed to welcome participants with different levels of fitness and experience. The programme featured four principal running distances:
42 km Marathon
21 km Half Marathon
10 km Run
5 km Run
An Executive 5 km walk was also included, broadening participation beyond competitive runners.
The 42 km winners were promised sponsorship to participate in the prestigious Comrades Marathon in South Africa, adding an international pathway to an event that was, at its heart, designed to develop local sporting participation.
For recreational runners, families, corporate teams and first-time participants, the shorter distances provided an opportunity to experience the excitement of race day without requiring the extensive preparation demanded by a full marathon.
Running for a Reason
One of the defining features of the inaugural KCM Marathon was its emphasis on health and wellness.
Participants had access to health services including blood-pressure checks, weight assessments, blood-sugar testing and first-aid support. In this way, the marathon connected physical activity with a broader message about taking responsibility for personal health and encouraging healthier lifestyles within the community.
The event also demonstrated how sport can become a platform for community development. Rather than treating the marathon simply as a one-day sporting competition, the organisers designed it to create benefits that would continue after the runners crossed the finish line.
Investing in the Future of Nchanga
An important part of the inaugural marathon's legacy was its connection to the development of Nchanga Golf Club itself.
Proceeds from the event were earmarked towards the refurbishment of the club and the establishment of a Junior Golf Section, helping create opportunities for young people to discover and develop their talent in golf.
This created a powerful connection between two sports that, at first glance, appear very different. The marathon brought thousands of people together through running, while its proceeds helped create opportunities for children to pick up a golf club and begin their own sporting journey.
That investment has since contributed to the revival of junior golf at Nchanga Golf Club, including the acquisition of new equipment to make the game more accessible to young players.
A New Tradition for Chingola
The inaugural KCM Marathon also demonstrated the ability of Chingola to come together around a major community event.
Runners, families, corporate teams, volunteers, health professionals, sponsors and supporters all became part of a shared experience. For Nchanga Golf Club, it represented an important evolution in the role the club plays within the community not simply as a home of championship golf, but as a venue capable of bringing people together around health, sport, recreation and social development.
The event also reflected KCM's broader involvement in sport and community development. KCM has supported numerous sporting disciplines in Zambia and has previously supported golf through sponsorship of the Zambia Open and investment in the Nchanga Golf Club course.
The Beginning of Something Bigger
Looking back, the inaugural KCM Marathon 2025 was more than the first edition of a new race. It established a foundation for what would become an annual community sporting platform.
Its success demonstrated that there was an appetite in Chingola for an event that combined fitness, competition, wellness, community and purpose.
Most importantly, the marathon left behind a legacy that extended beyond race day: stronger community engagement, greater awareness of healthy living, investment in sporting infrastructure and a renewed opportunity for young people to participate in golf.
The following year, the KCM Marathon returned with an even stronger vision, building upon the foundation laid in 2025 and embracing the theme “Manja Pamodzi – Together, We Can Achieve Great Things. ” The 2026 edition continued the event's development as a major community sporting occasion at Nchanga Golf Club.
A Legacy That Keeps Moving
From the first starting gun in March 2025, the KCM Marathon has become part of the evolving story of Nchanga Golf Club.
It represents what can happen when sport, business and community come together with a shared purpose.
And for Nchanga Golf Club, the inaugural marathon will always hold a special place in our history not simply because it was the first, but because it proved that when Chingola comes together, great things can happen.
Nchanga Golf Club est. 1936
Where Champions Are Made, and Memories Last.
