From casual gamer to esports champion: Kennedy Kapembwa's dream rise to the top - EWN

When Kennedy Kapembwa first picked up a controller, he was just playing video games for fun like millions of other teenagers.

But he soon noticed something different: he kept winning.

"I just started playing casually, but then I realised that I was better than the average player," Kapembwa told Eyewitness News. "So at the start of 2025, I started to compete professionally, and all went well from there."

Fast forward to late 2026 and the young gamer, known online as "KK", has become one of South Africa's brightest esports stars.

Competing for Synthesis Entertainment, Kapembwa recently outlasted a massive 256-player bracket at Comic Con Africa in Johannesburg to win the Red Bull Wings Cup qualifier in EA Sports FC 27.

Entering the tournament, Kapembwa was a relative newcomer compared to veteran esports pros with years of experience. But he kept his focus and relied on his faith.