LUSEKELO KAMWAMBI 2012 ZAMBIA NATIONAL TEAM MANAGER PUTS AFCON ALLOWANCES CLAIMS TO BED
Lusekelo Kamwambi
By Robinson Kunda- Sports Reporter – Feed Me Sports Zambia
CHIPOLOPOLO 2012 Africa Cup winning Team Manager Lusekelo Kamwambi says all members of the continental title winning squad were paid their allowances and other entitlements inclusive of daily allowances in full and got a share from the $1.5 million prize money.
Kamwambi said the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) and government met all its obligations that were due to the players and anyone claiming to be owed money in form of allowances just needs time to remember.
“I was a team manager and I remember the Africa Cup prize money was $1.5 million and each player got $10, 000 which translated into about K50, 000 going by the exchange of K5 at the time,” he said.
He said the $10, 000 for each player was a share from the Africa Cup prize money.
Kamwambi said government and FAZ had drawn up the rewarding system for each stage that the team reached and all allowances were met in full.
“For qualifying out of the first round we had a package, there was also a package for quarter and semi-finals including for winning the tournament he said,”
Kamwambi admitted that what government gave the players was not good enough comparing to how other countries reward national teams when they win the Africa Cup.
“I also remember that part of the money was given to the clubs, each football club in the country received a minimum of $1,000 and we had over 200 clubs,” Kamwambi emphasised.
“Having said that I think the bigger picture was to win the title because as a result of that many players who were playing abroad had their contracts improved by virtue of winning the title,”
He said most players moved to bigger and better clubs where they earned much more money compared to what they were getting prior to winning the Africa Cup.
He cited Mayuka, Chamanga and Katongo as some of the players whose contracts were improved after they won the Africa Cup.
He said even Zambia became more respected in the world and the country was able to play respected teams in the world such as Brazil, Japan, Norway and South Korea among others.
“It is therefore, very unfortunate that today some players can pick to forget all the great things winning Afcon brought to the country and did to improve their careers and decide to mislead the nation 10 years later,” he said.
Kamwambi said money was not the main motivation for winning the Africa Cup but to make the country proud and achieve new milestones for the players.
“I thought I should clarify this because I have been seeing misleading information whoever is claiming to be owed money is not being honest. I think even the then former Minister of Youth and Sport, Chishimba Kambwili did explain very well in Parliament how the Africa Cup prize money was shared,” said Kamwandi.
He said Christopher Katongo who was the captain did appeal to the late president Sata at a luncheon hosted at State House to consider giving the players a house each and the President asked the then Minister Local Government Housing, Professor Nkandu Luo to look into it.
“Yes houses have not come but all allowances that were spelt out were given to all of us as team manager I can confirm that,” he said.
Lusekelo Kamwambi with Herve Renard and Kalusha Bwalya
On the day to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of winning the country’s sole continental title some players who were members of the Africa Cup winning team have come out claiming they were not paid part of the prize money.
Former FAZ vice president Boniface Mwamelo who was delegation leader, also insisted that players were given all their entitlements and also got part of the prize money.
Mwamelo said FAZ also explained at the annual general meetings for 2013 and 2014 how the money was disbursed and wondered why players are raising the issue now after 10 years.
