PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema has urged the nation rallied behind the to resist blame on the Chipolopolo boys following their early exit from the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco last night.
In a statement issued by State House chief communications specialist Clayson Hamasaka, the Head of State said he fully understands the pain of defeat and warned against condemning players, stating that loss should be a moment for reflection rather than finger-pointing.
“This is not the end, but a reset and an opportunity to rebuild Zambian sports deliberately, inclusively and for lasting success,” President Hichilema said.
The President emphasized that Zambia’s football decline is rooted in the collapse of grassroots systems that once made the country a regional and continental powerhouse.
He recalled a time when school competitions and local authority grounds were central to identifying and nurturing young talent, producing schoolboy internationals through competitive inter-provincial tournaments.
President Hichilema lamented that much of this foundation has been destroyed in recent years, largely due to unregulated and, in some cases, corrupt acquisition of land meant for community sports facilities.
He said the loss of such infrastructure has weakened the pipeline that once fed the national teams with quality talent.
In response, the President has called for a sports revolution beginning in 2026, anchored on rebuilding school and community sports infrastructure across the country.
The Head of State has further directed the Ministries of Lands, Youth, Sport and Arts and Local Government, among others, to ensure that every new housing or corporate development includes properly planned and developed sports and recreational facilities for young people and surrounding communities.
By George Musonda
Kalemba December 30, 2025
