The Zambia Senior Men’s National Team players are once again grumbling about their unpaid bonuses and allowances that have been due since as far back as over a year ago.
Last week, at least 15 national players initiated a WhatsApp conference call in which they tapped the Ministry of Sports and Football Association of Zambia (FAZ).
The players had intended and hoped to express their grievances and conceivably get assured of receiving their honorariums for rendering their talents and services to the nation.
Alas, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Sports Kangwa Chileshe and FAZ General Secretary Reuben Kamanga, tapped by the players for a hear and a word, were incommunicado that afternoon.
The players’ follow-up efforts through another WhatsApp conference call, planned for 7pm later in the evening, proved futile as both PS and GS were unavailable.
Owed bonuses and allowances from matches starting from the 2023 (played in January, 2024) Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, the players went as far as threatening to quit the national team all together in their lamentations.
During the conversation which lasted over 60 minutes and observed by a journalist as well as a blogger, the players – while seeking anonymity – complained and feared that the situation could negatively affect the teams’ performance in future assignments.
The players further expressed intentions to try and get the attention of Republican President Hakainde Hichilema to intervene over the matter.
