K100,000 Is a Drop in the Ocean’: Mweemba Calls for Overhaul of Football Funding in Zambia

Keith Mweemba, a contender for the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) presidential seat, has laid out his vision for bolstering the financial stability of Zambian football, emphasizing sustainability and realistic solutions.

Speaking when he featured on a special program ZNBC TV1 dubbed ‘Race to Football House’, Mweemba shared that his manifesto highlights the need for a nuanced approach to sponsorship and funding, acknowledging the diverse challenges faced by clubs across the nation.

“Clubs are realistic people,” Mweemba stated, “we have good, intelligent people in these clubs. I can assure you, if you talk about the clubs like Nkana or Power Dynamos, they have got intelligent administrators. You can’t just assume that you are talking to people who you can give promises that you think are easy. I must mention that we talk about something that is sustainable, something that is achievable.”

Acknowledging the current financial constraints within Zambian football, Mweemba proposes a multi-pronged strategy.

“One of the ways, other than maybe finding sponsors, one of the ways that we are hoping, I’ve already told you about the sources of funding through some of those sources, it does not hurt to actually say, ‘OK, I’m also going to give grants.’ With that, as we are looking for sponsors, why? Because you want, when you give a certain amount of grants, you want them to have a starting point to begin operating.”

He used the National League as an example.

“For instance, I was about to give a point of National League teams. National League, you get K100,000 for those seasons. Now, the problem with the National League are different. They’re general problems that are generic. For instance, you know that the funding is one of the general problems, right? Lack of funding. K100,000 is a drop in the ocean. It can’t even fulfill two fixtures.”

Mweemba also highlighted the unique infrastructural challenges faced by individual clubs.

“But there are also unique problems. For instance, the problems that Konkola Blades has in terms of infrastructure may not be the same problems that another club like Aguila, or Chirundu United, who had to relocate from Chirundu to come and start playing in Lusaka, depriving the supporters of watching their team. Do you know the reason is because of lack of infrastructure? A club like Konkola Blades benefited maybe from the UNIP policies under the [Kenneth] Kaunda government, where these infrastructures were built. They have got their own stadium. So you have to differentiate that. You are going to talk about general problems of funding, for instance, you say, ‘OK, we can’t be giving K100,000 to a team in the National League, let’s try to increase this package,’ but also, how do we sort out the problems of infrastructure because other clubs are still going through those problems like Aguila Stars or Chirundu River Plate, for instance, that’s at the National League level.”

He stressed the inadequacy of the current funding model.

“But if you understand football, it should even be embarrassing to even talk about K100,000. There must be a way. If it means giving grants as an association, give grants.”

Mweemba also addressed the need for professionalization and commercialization within the Zambian Premier League (ZPL). 

“Then also remember, we have the Zambian Premier League (ZPL), professionalize to commercialize. How is that going to be possible? You have to respect the principle of separation of powers. If you are going to say ZPL is an independent and autonomous body, but at the end of the day, as FAZ, you want to still have too much control, then are you adhering to the principle of separation of powers?”

He emphasized the importance of democratic governance within FAZ.

“Remember, this principle of separation of powers is very, very important because you’re going to leave ZPL to run the leagues. One of the principles in our manifesto, we’ve said we’re going to be a democratic executive, respect democracy and these fundamental principles, right? Now, I do not have the executive. How can I stand on a podium and start promising people, saying I’m going to give you $25,000? Remember, that is dictatorship.”

Mweemba’s stance reflects a call for pragmatic and sustainable solutions, acknowledging the complexities of Zambian football’s financial landscape and emphasizing the importance of respecting democratic principles and the autonomy of leagues.