National Sports Council of Zambia (NSCZ) Chief […]

National Sports Council of Zambia (NSCZ) Chief Executive Officer Sombwa Musunsa has lamented over the inadequate funds allocated to sports, revealing that this usually leads to some federations being left out of the allocation. Multiple times federations have bemoaned the lack of transparency by NSCZ, revealing that some of them have not received funding for as long as three years ago, a situation that deprives them of fulfilling calendars.

 According to the 2026 national budget, sports development and management was allocated K123.5 million out of K356 million allocated to the ministry of sports, youth, and arts.

 Speaking in an interview with the Zambian Business Times, Musunsa revealed that despite the slight increase in allocation, in the previous years, the challenge remains untouched.

“We are doing a lot, but we are not satisfied. When you look at the amount of money that is being given out towards sports in general, from 2021 it has grown. I am aware that football takes the lion’s share out of the more than 58 registered federations.”

 Musunsa revealed that the council has been engaging the federations over creating their own streams of income, although the initiative has been met with opposition. Sport in general is still in its fledgling state; lack of proper infrastructure, equipment, and training kits has hindered most would-be athletes, and some have opted to join the biggest and semi-commercialized sport—football.

At the height of the challenges, there is a need for stakeholders and the government alike to intervene proactively, not just through policy but full-throttle implementation

Article by Sam Mutale