Sports Minister Chishimba Kambwili has distanced himself from the plight of the Zambia National Women’s team stating that his ministry is not responsible for paying the Chipolopolo Queens and is only responsible for the Senior Men’s Team.
Kambwili stated that his Ministry is only responsible for paying the Senior Men’s Team while the Junior Teams and the Women’s Team are FAZ’s responsibility.
Kambwili has further advised the ladies who have refused to leave the FAZ Technical centre until they are paid to be patriotic.
“The first thing that should be at heart is Zambia before other interests like money comes in. They must be patriotic enough to sacrifice for Mother Zambia. I advise the girls to put the interest of the country first and money last,” he said.
However, the POST has reported that the players have said the chef who was supposed to cook for them had vanished.
They also say power to their rooms was also disconnected in FAZ’s bid to disperse them without reasonable pay.
The players wondered why FAZ was suddenly treating them like outcasts.
But ZamFoot understands that Football House is broke.
A FAZ employee who spoke to ZamFoot on conditions of anonymity said FAZ is broke.
“We don’t have money at the moment. I can’t explain why we are so broke. Even our salaries have been so delayed that many staff are also demoralised. We have played two international games at home recently home but it doesn’t seem to appear there is any proper financial accountability to alleviate the situation,”
“We were hoping that the bonuses of about US$1million which FIFA announced in June in Brazil and has since given all national associations would help us as employees and even the women team but there is nothing,” said the source.
The players were promised US$80 per day for the period they were in Windhoek.