Lore: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Makuka_Nkoloso

A resistance member called Edward Mukuka Nkoloso made some funs by trying to be involved in the space race, where he wanted to visit the Moon with 2 cats and a 17 year old kid and also bringing missionaries to convert primitive Martian lifeform. They trained their “afronauts” by rolling them down in empty oil barrels and such. They also have made a rocket made of oil barrels and space worthy material, but it wasn’t allowed to launch.

Probably the CIA and the KGB sabotaged their rocket, because they feared too much of the african might.

If you are hungarian for some evil reason, then this is how I found about this story several years ago in a podcast: http://podkaszt.hu/track/58503/irany-a-mars-a-zambiai-urprogram-e40