MBABANE – Agent Alimasi ‘Adebayo’ Saleh has dismissed fears for Junior Magagula following the Eswatini midfielder’s transfer to Congolese side AS Maniema Union amid Ebola concerns.
The Sihlangu star’s move to the Linafoot (DR Congo top division) coincides with a severe health emergency in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Official government figures report 1 707 deaths from 3 802 recorded cases since the outbreak was declared on May 15, driven by the rare Bundibugyo strain. World Health Organisation (WHO) data indicates over 17 000 contacts are under daily monitoring as medical teams scramble to deploy experimental treatments.
Despite fears surrounding a relocation to the central African nation, Saleh was quick to calm concerns regarding the player’s safety.
“All is well,” Saleh insisted, assuring anxious supporters back home that the playmaker remains safe and focused on his football.
While AS Maniema Union are based in Kindu, away from the epidemic’s primary epicentre in Ituri Province, the virus has spilled into neighbouring South Kivu and Tshopo provinces. Direct transport corridors and inter-provincial travel for domestic fixtures leave squads facing ongoing exposure risks.
The reality of the crisis was highlighted ahead of June’s International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) World Cup in North America, when the DRC national team were forced to cancel public events in Kinshasa and complete preparations in Belgium.
Yet, with his representative firmly quelling safety worries as health authorities work to contain the spread, Magagula is ready to embrace the biggest step of his career.
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