The final score will show Zambia beat Togo 2-0 in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier. What the world will remember is that Zambia failed to keep the lights on.

At the moment, Levy Mwanawasa is the only CAF approved stadium in Zambia.

For 18 long minutes on Tuesday night, Levy Mwanawasa Stadium – our flagship national stadium – was plunged into darkness in front of a live continental TV audience. Players stood idle. Fans used phone torches. The referee had to stop a crucial AFCON qualifier. It was not a technical glitch. It was a national embarrassment.

This was not an act of God. It was an act of negligence.

How does a stadium hosting an international qualifier not have an automatic backup? How does ZESCO, the power utility, not ring-fence power supply to a national stadium on match day? How does FAZ and the stadium management not test the generator hours before kick-off? The answers expose a familiar Zambian disease: we prepare for the ceremony, not for the contingency.

This is not the first time Levy has suffered power issues. Yet we keep acting surprised. We have built impressive infrastructure, but we have failed to build a culture of maintenance and professionalism to run it.

The implications are bigger than one blackout:

CAF will be watching. Continental bodies fine and ban stadiums for less. If we cannot guarantee 90 minutes of uninterrupted power, we cannot claim to be ready to host AFCON or any major tournament.

It undermines the team. The Chipolopolo did their job brilliantly. Kangwanda and Mandanji’s goals have revived our 2027 dream. But their effort has been eclipsed by the failure off the pitch.

It damages Brand Zambia.* Investors and tourists watching that blackout will ask a simple question: If you cannot power your national stadium for 90 minutes, how will you power industry?

FAZ must not shift blame to ZESCO alone. ZESCO must not blame loadshedding. The Ministry of Sports must not form another committee.

What Zambians want is accountability:

– Publish the stadium power contingency plan. Who was in charge of the generator?
– Why did it take 18 minutes to restore power? Automatic switch-over should take 18 seconds.
– Will heads roll? Or will we wait for the next embarrassment?

The boys brought light to the pitch with their performance. The administrators brought darkness. Next time we host Burundi on November 11, we must prove that Zambia has learned that winning on the pitch means nothing if we are failing off it.

Power failure on the pitch is forgivable. Power failure in the control room is not.

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