President Hichilema pledges increased support for Sports development
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SportsPresident Hakainde Hichilema has pledged increased Government support for sports development, saying that the sector has the potential to contribute significantly to Zambia’s economic growth. Speaking during the Meet and Greet ceremony in honor of the victorious Zambia Under 15…
President Hakainde Hichilema has pledged increased Government support for sports development, saying that the sector has the potential to contribute significantly to Zambia’s economic growth.
Speaking during the Meet and Greet ceremony in honor of the victorious Zambia Under 15 men’s National team at State House, President Hichilema described the team’s triumph at the inaugural FIFA Under-15 Youth Festival in Baku, Azerbaijan, as a historic achievement that has brought pride to the country.
The President congratulated the Junior Chipolopolo for their performance, particularly their victories over Portugal, England and Senegal, adding that the young players had demonstrated exceptional talent, discipline and determination.
Mr Hichilema said that sports should be treated as a business rather than merely a recreational activity.
“Government has restructured the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts to give greater attention to sports development, adding that both Sports and the Arts will continue receiving government support,” he said.
President Hichilema has also assured FAZ that government will work towards addressing the financial challenges facing the association, including its accumulated 140 million Kwacha league debt.
Mr Hichilema has however urged the association to adopt prudent financial management and avoid accumulating further debts by operating beyond its means.
The President also announced plans to engage mining companies and other private-sector players to increase their involvement in sports sponsorship.
And Minister of Youth and Sports Likando Mufalali has described Zambia’s Under-15 Men’s National Team victory as a historic achievement for the country.
Mr Mufalali said that the triumph marked the first time a Zambian national team had won a title at a FIFA global tournament.
He highlighted that the tournament brought together 189 national teams and nearly 3,000 young players from six continental confederations, making it the largest tournament ever staged by FIFA.
“The team’s success to hard work is attributed to discipline and commitment by the players, technical bench and the Football Association of Zambia,” he said.
Mr Mufalali cited the team’s 13-0 victory over Montserrat, a 3-2 comeback win against England and a 4-3 semi-final victory over Senegal as some of the outstanding moments in the tournament.
He further said that government will prioritise nurturing young talent, balancing education with football and creating clear pathways for players to progress to the Under-20 and senior Chipolopolo teams.
Meanwhile, Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) President Keith Mweemba has appealed to government to adopt its Copper brand as the official national sporting attire for Ministries involved in sports activities.
Mr Mweemba said that selling replica jerseys to just ten percent of Zambia’s population could potentially generate more than 800 million Kwacha annually.
“It will help provide additional resources for football development and employment creation,” he said.
The FAZ President said that stronger government support and corporate partnerships are necessary to ensure that football contributes meaningfully to Zambia’s economic and social development.
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