The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) Player’s Status and Transfer Committee has recently made several notable rulings on cases concerning players and coaches. Among these cases, a key decision involved former Trident FC coaches Albert Kachinga and Joseph Musonda, whose contracts were terminated prematurely.
Kachinga and Musonda, who were employed as Head Coach and Assistant Coach respectively, had entered into contracts with Trident FC for a period of one year and nine months, beginning on October 5, 2023, and set to run until July 30, 2025. However, on March 11, 2024, their contracts were unilaterally terminated by the club, citing poor performance.
After reviewing the case, the committee, headed by Mwansa Kapyanga, found that Trident FC had terminated the contracts without just cause. The decision ruled that the coaches were entitled to compensation for the full value of their contracts. The committee also examined whether Kachinga and Musonda had signed new professional contracts with any other clubs following the termination of their contracts. It was found that they had not, and therefore, they were entitled to be compensated for the remaining duration of their contracts.
In another case, the committee ruled in favor of player Bertha Kashinga, who had been prevented from joining a professional club of her choice by ZISD Women FC. Kashinga, who was classified as an amateur, was granted the freedom to move to a professional club without any hindrance.
Similarly, Priscilla Namwiinga was given the right to leave Elite Ladies and join a club of her choice, marking another victory for players asserting their rights.
The committee also addressed a case involving player Joseph Chewe and Indeni FC, where Chewe had reported unfair termination of his employment. However, the committee could not adjudicate on this matter as Chewe had already taken the issue to an ordinary court of law, which contradicted the FAZ and FIFA statutes. The committee advised Chewe’s representative to inform the player about the potential infringement of the FAZ constitution under Articles 61 and 62.
In the case of Paul Banda versus Forest Rangers, the committee dismissed the player’s claim for gratuity. Banda had been loaned from Power Dynamos to Forest Rangers, but the loan agreement did not include any provisions for gratuity, and the club was found not guilty of failing to meet its financial obligations.
Another key decision involved Mike Banda, who had filed a case against Lumwana Radiants for unfair termination. The committee ruled in Banda’s favor, ordering the club to compensate him for the remainder of his contract. Banda had not received any warnings or notice prior to the termination, and the committee awarded him K230,000 to cover the remaining period of his contract.
FAZ General Secretary, Reuben Kamanga, commended the committee for its timely handling of the cases. “The committee deserves commendation for ensuring that player and coach-related cases are cleared within time. This is the standard we aim to uphold for all our judicial bodies,” Kamanga said.
These rulings emphasize the Football Association of Zambia’s commitment to upholding fairness and transparency in its governance of the sport. All parties involved in the cases have the right to appeal the decisions made by the committee.
