Moral is low in Team Zambia at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Birmingham as athletes have gone for weeks without receiving their daily allowances.
And officials that have accompanied the team to the UK are entitled to receive US$350 per daily while athletes will receive US$ 50 per day.
With only five days to go before the Commonwealth Games closes, the Zambian athletes have not received their allowances since arriving in the UK including for the two week training camp in Zambia.
In strange circumstances, the athletes have been told that they are not entitled to winning bonuses even after they mint medals.
Zambia has sent a strong 41 member team from nine sports codes namely Athletes, Badminton, Boxing, Cycling, Judo, Rugby Sevens, Para-powerlifting, Squash, and Swimming.
Information gathered from people close to the matter indicate that the lack of payments of allowances has demoralized the team.
The sources said moral in Team Zambia is at the lowest as the athletes feel cheated by officials from the Ministry of Sports, the National Olympic Committee and Commonwealth Games Association of Zambia (NOC/CGA Zambia).
One of the athletes interviewed on condition of anonymity said Sports Minister Elvis Nkandu who is in the UK has been elusive over the matter.
The sources said Team Manager Doris Mulenga has equally been elusive and she has failed to visit the team village since the team arrived.
“We have failed to put our frustrations across to him (Hon. Nkandu) because our Federations have been blocking us but we know he knows that we need to be paid. Some of us took leave from our full time jobs to come and represent Zambia and we were hoping the allownaces will cover up for the lost days at work but we are here and we are stuck and bills back home are piling up.”
Another source said, “it’s so discourageing that the officials including the Minister are here but not attending the games, there are nowhere to be seen here. They are busy in their hotels while the athletes have not been funded.
How do you expect medals like that?”
Why is the minister even overseas at the Zambian tax payer expense as for the chef du mission (Doris Mulenga) if she is not there doing her job sack her and not pay her. Why are they even getting dollars , should they not get pounds?
To the 41 great Zambian athletes i am proud of you and hope you win a medal but if not you are still super hero’s to Zambia. As for the govt of Zambia pay these guys, $50 is not much in pounds and things are costly in the UK . What LT failed to mention is the athletes get free accommodation and meals in the village where as the officials have to stay in hotels and buy their own food so that is why they get $300 more a day.
Fire them all.
Why do African government employees get “allowances” on top of their monthly salaries, while they are on duty.
Even @ Kaizer can’t answer that.
Strange arrangement. How can one be paying alowances daily. Arent they paid at the end of tournament..then they can go shopig..
Africa! Always.
GRZ does not put emphasis on defining who we are. But places more emphasis on political parties and political parties as no countability to the taxpayers. Political parties put more emphasis on us being a peaceful nation, while neglecting peoples talent and investments it shouldn’t matter how little that investment is should not be Ignored.
GRZ what’s going on?
Ati new dawn hahaha. We warned you. Then the same f00Is tell you that they are employing 30,000 teachers. If they can fail to pay small group of sports men and women, good luck to you 30,000 who think you will get salary every month.
You are the biggest fool Mr Man. Aren’t you the ones who misappropriated all our national income? Do you think you can continue fooling us we chipuba we. Stop talking nosense coz pa last twalalufyanya mumilandile elo mutukakishe. Fool.
Kaizar Zulu, your PF (Pilfering Fools) party left Zambia in a debt trap of US $30 billion that it defaulted on while you were in office. You looted the country and shared the money among yourselves. You should not be able to talk to us as you should be in jail for what you did. Shut up, you corrupt tribalist.
They must just be patriotic and do it for Zambia. Why do they need to be paid.
Kikikikikikiki!
Patriotic?!!! Why MPs and ministers not patriotic. They demanded salary increment and a higher allowances. Yet you want athletes on just few days allowance to be patriotic…
But Kaizar Zulu is really a lunatic and enemy of progress. Very low and shallow in his thinking
The lunatics are those failing to pay our sports men and women. Yourr tribalism stops you from seeing any wrong in your f00Iish govt. Am I in govt? Fuseke
This govt has no capacity to pay extra 45000 civil servants. And with still IMF conditions salaries increases even for already employed civil servants will be frozen. Then they will start going on strike!!
I warned them but they think I am just being jealous. Jealous over what? Hahah
wow very interesting the minister is Birmingham but never visited the athletes in camp or watch the games then what are GRZ official’s doing there? allowances suppose to be paid yes then the winning bonus is paid after the games, if you are a follower of world sports same west african teams they use to boycott same games because of not been paid allowances and they is anything like been patriotic here allowances were promised, as they president had said no free money without sweat in the new dawn government.
Baletombana uko while the athletes are starving
Athletes are our best ambassadors. Please pay what you owe them. It looks like the New Dawn spirit has not penetrated sports administration in Zambia.
Reporters must stop misreporting!
Zambia has sent a strong 41 member team???
Katie? If it’s strong where are the medals? Anyway government is biased. It gives FAZ a salary for the coach but Samuel Matete and coaches of other sports get nothing. This despite that FAZ have won nothing for decades
Reporters must stop misreporting!
Zambia has sent a strong 41 member team???
Kuti? If it’s strong where are the medals? Anyway government is biased. It gives FAZ a salary for the coach but Samuel Matete and coaches of other sports get nothing. This despite that FAZ have won nothing for decades
Ba Minister ba Nkandu must be busy shopping his speciality, ba Kombo, for sale at Chisokone Market
Govt must stop supporting losers