FAM says it felt duty bound to award the Scorchers players K1 million each as a bonus for winning the COSAFA women’s Championship just like it did with the Flames when they qualified for the 2021 AFCON finals.
FAM President Walter Nyamilandu announced on Monday evening at a welcoming dinner for the regional champions that on top of the K 1 million bonus, the Association will also pay each of the squad members K200,000.00 as appearance fees, K1 million as game bonus for winning five games at K200,000.00 per game and USD 1,500 (about K1,753,500) external travel allowance. In total each player will get about K4 million.
In March 2021, the country’s football governing body also gave each of the Flames players K 1 million following the team’s qualification for the 2021 AFCON finals.
“These girls deserve better. They deserve more than words and clapping hands. As we are aware COSAFA does not give prize money for this competition which ordinarily would have been shared by the team.
“We take pride in our women and give them good bonuses by our standards. We don’t have enough resources but from the little we have we want to appreciate the girls achievement.
“We feel duty bound that what we did and the gesture we showed the Flames when they qualified for AFCON two years ago should be shown to the ladies as well because they have brought us joy and pride.
“From the little we have, that’s the best we can do now. But we know government has big news and they will break the big news at the right time,” said Nyamilandu.
He thanked Goshen Trust for the K39 million package that enabled FAM to buy air tickets to travel to South Africa for tournament.
“I would like to thank the support given to us by Goshen City whose father and founder is Dr Prophet Shepherd Bushiri. At the moment we were approaching them we didn’t have any money for this tournament.
“When the door opened it gave us the drive to join this competition . But I look back and say what if we had withdrawn. Would we have witnessed this glory. ?No.
“We believe everything happens for a reason and for us this has happened to tell us to fully support women’s football. While we have been looking for this baby all these years single handedly, we would like the private and the public sector to come and join hands with us for this baby to grow and reach its full potential,” he said.
Minister of youth and Sport Uchizi Mkandawire said the State President DR Lazarus Chakwera will host the team for a luncheon on Wednesday afternoon.
