Kalala joined Swansea City on trial and played in several pre-season games, but wasn't offered a deal by Kenny Jackett who admitted the midfielder wasn't the type of player he was looking for. He then moved to England and joined Grimsby Town in June 2005 initially on a trial along with several other French league players Makhtar N'Diaye and Madjid Ben Haddou. His first appearance for Grimsby, was in a 1–1 draw against Rotherham United in pre-season in which Kalala hit the post from 25 yards. On 1 July 2005, he made his move to Grimsby a permanent one. Kalala was a regular in the first team, sitting in a central midfield role with Paul Bolland. Kalala's early season performances helped Town to become early pace setters in League Two. He famously scored a goal that sent Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur out of the League Cup. The goal came in the 87th minute of play when Andy Parkinson's inswinging corner connected with Kalala who volleyed home from the edge of the area. The goal saw Grimsby win the game 1–0 and set up a tie with Newcastle United in the third round. Kalala went on to pick up five goals in the league for The Mariners, another noted strike was a 35-yard driver in a 4–0 home win over Notts County. Kalala eventually lost his place in the starting eleven to Ciaran Toner, after he went to the African Nations Cup to represent the Democratic Republic of Congo. However, Kalala did not even manage to get on the pitch during the competition. On his return to Blundell Park, he found it tough going to dislodge Toner from the first team. Mariners boss Russell Slade had also signed Curtis Woodhouse, another centralised midfielder who played in the same natural position to Kalala. Grimsby failed to gain automatic promotion, and thus settled for a place in the play-offs. They eventually were knocked out by Cheltenham Town in the final, losing 1–0 at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. Kalala was only an unused substitute in the game. Following Grimsby's failure to secure promotion, Kalala opted to leave the club. He moved up a league and joined Yeovil Town soon after on a free transfer, where he followed Grimsby manager Russell Slade and goalkeeper Steve Mildenhall to Huish Park. After one season with the Somerset club, where he was part of the side that reached the playoff final, but like the previous season with Grimsby, he was on the losing side.