Govt calls on opposition to avoid politicising sports

The government has called on opposition parties to avoid politicising sports issues.

Minister of Youth, Sports and Art, Elvis Nkandu, criticised certain opposition parties for accusing the government of failing to provide allowances to athletes, emphasizing that these parties had not taken action themselves.

Nkandu made the remarks in Lusaka on Monday during International Youth Day celebrations.

He urged former President Edgar Lungu to refrain from commenting on the current administration’s handling of sports, pointing out that Lungu had opportunities to assist athletes during his presidency but did not.

“Did you help the athletes when you had the power? You didn’t, so please refrain from criticizing now,” Nkandu said.

He explained that the Ministry had initially withheld responses to the accusations, waiting for an appropriate moment to address them.

“Although there are some outstanding payments, the way opposition parties are presenting the issue to the media is misleading,” he added.

Nkandu clarified that Muzala Samukonga received the US$5,000 promised by the government for his 2022 medal win, which was equivalent to K80,000 at the time.

He also urged those who pledged support for the sports sector to honor their commitments, as failing to do so undermined their credibility.

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