A history of football and politics in Zambia: 1964- 1991
Date
2016
Authors
Chapeta, George
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The University of Zambia
Abstract
The central theme of this study is to explore the link between football and politics in Zambia
from 1964 to 1991. The study investigates how politics influenced the development of the sport in
Zambia. It reveals that under the government of the United National Independence Party (UNIP)
football developed through the establishment of sports bodies. Also, the government constructed stadia
in all the provincial centres and appealed to companies to promote football and through such efforts,
football in Zambia developed through schools as the sport was part of education. The study further
shows how politics penetrated football administration. The UNIP government interfered in the running
of football because it provided money for the running of the sport and thus wanted to turn FAZ into an
organ that would support the Kenneth Kaunda-led regime. It was to this end that the ‘one soccer body’
was established in 1975. After 1975, government repeatedly dissolved FAZ whenever there was
evidence of maladministration and declining standards in football.
The study further reveals that football was important in political mobilisation after
independence. From 1964 to 1972 the UNIP government deployed the sport to popularise the Kaunda
dominated regime during the brief period of multi-party state. Football was also used to consolidate the
‘one party state’ as the sport was effective in making ‘One Zambia One Nation’ become a reality. The
study concludes that although the UNIP government contributed greatly to the development of
football, it failed to erect sufficient modern sports infrastructure in the country which culminated in the
failure to host the 1988 Africa Cup. The study further concludes that although the ruling party used
football for political mobilisation so as to make it popular and strengthen the party’s hold on power,
ordinary Zambians used the sport to undermine the UNIP government in the run up to the 1991
elections.
Description
Thesis
Keywords
Sports--Political aspects , Nationalism and sports , Sports-Sociological aspects.