Zambian clubs have become a pursuit for Kenyan players who ply the Sportpesa premier league. The players prefer the MTN sponsored FAZ Zambian Super league Clubs as compared to clubs from within the country or within the East African Territory.

The Sudanese league has the best paying clubs in Al Merreikh, Al Hilal, Al Khartoum etc. but seemingly most Kenyans who joins the said clubs seldom take more than a season with the clubs with rumour having it that language barrier and Religion difference the greatest undoing. Most Kenyans terminate or fail to renew their contracts a case of Allan Wanga who shifted base to Dar es Salaam giants Azam from Al Merreikh.

Most Kenyans are eager to look for greener pastures in Europe but at times it becomes nasty and competitive as most European clubs more so in the Western part of Europe where FIFA rankings eliminates some Kenyan playes from joining the clubs.

The Tanzanian league has in time had very well paying clubs like Yanga, Simba, Azam and recently Mwadui and has for the time been a destination for Kenyan players. The likes of Mike Baraza, Boniface Ambani, George Odhiambo, Pascal Ochieng, Donald Mosoti etc. have all graced the Tanzanian league with Paul Kiongera and Allan Wanga being the latest to join the Vodacom league. The sensation or opinion that Tanzania is smaller brother to Kenya in terms of economy means that Kenyans would prefer a country out of the Cecafa region.

Zambia is fast becoming the sure alternative destination for most Kenyan clubs. Zambia is on the rise to dislodge South Africa as the most comfortable Country a Kenyan footballer will land.
With the emergence of social media platform like Facebook, Twitter etc., most people interact on the said media platform and share stories. The Zambian top tier as well as the Kenyan premier league is exclusively broadcasted by Supersport.

Zambia has social media interactive platform in Facebook like Zambian Super League, talk Football Zambia where bloggers and football analysts like Puncherello Chama,Bwezani Mbewe,Aoron Mubanga and James Sibeleki etc engage their Kenyan Counterparts like Boniface Osano,Collins Okinyo,Bonventure Mukoto,Elder Angwenyi etc in discussing soccer involving the two leagues.
Social Sites like SOKA YETU, KPL CHAT, and TALK FOOTBALL AFRICA has so far attracted scores of people from both countries and any rumour of player moving to the Zambian league is not any big news.

Today, Zambian’s follow the Kenyan League just like the Kenyan’s do to the ZSL.If you ask Puncherelo Chama, a Zambian soccer analyst and Nkana number 1 fan, he would tell you more about Muhoroni Youth FC, a club in the sugar belt region of Western Kenya, he would further tell you of their new signings and targets just like Boniface Osano who will give you the up to time updates on either Zesco or Nkana FC‘s news.

So why Zambian Super League?

A look at the Zambian Super league which in the recent past has begun attracting top players. In terms of organization, the Zambian league is below the KPL but Zambian league is superior as regards the player’s welfare.

Zambian Clubs like Zesco, Zanaco, Power Dynamos, Green Buffaloes and Nchanga Rangers are al pay their players well compared to Kenya.

For example, Zesco United, home to Kenyan International defender David Owino ‘Calabar’ and potential home to midfield engine Antony Akumu pays match winning bonuses of between $500-$1000 per match, a figure far much beyond any KPL club. Some KPL clubs cannot even afford the said figure just for salaries.

When it comes to Salaries, the least paid player in the Zambian Super league takes home not less than $300 minus winning and other allowances, this is by far the figure most players in the KPL earn monthly including allowances with other players going for months without pay.
Kitwe based Nkana Red Devils pay players upto $1300 a month with Clubs like Zesco, Zanaco and Power dynamos paying even more.

Most playes in Kenya do not surpass the $1000 mark in terms of payment with clubs like Gor Mahia, Tusker, Sofapaka, AFC leopards the best paying clubs.

According to Soccer analyst Puncherello Chama, speaking exclusively to Soka25east, The Zambian league has a serious marketing issue but the Clubs really invest a lot. Power gets direct funding from CEC meaning they have no issue with finances. Chama continues to ascertain that KPL is still not as competitive as the ZSL.’Yes I agree, KPL has made strides in the past few years but I wish you could visit Zambia my friend, Division one teams here pay well compared to some clubs in the KPL.I was talking to a Kenyan about the highest paid player in KPL, What he told me shocked me, some clubs like Nkwazi, Indeni etc pays far much better than top teams in the KPL’
When it comes to transfers and signings of players, Chama was quick to say that there is misconception in the Kenyan media that Zambian Clubs and players are poor then KPL clubs can make bids. This is far from truth. He was referring to a transfer saga that went sour between Kenyan league Champions Gor Mahia and Zambia’s Kitwe giants Power Dynamos over Julius Situmbeko’s alleged signing for Gor Mahia.

According to Chama, Teams like Zesco and Green Buffaloes have feeder clubs with Zesco having satellite clubs in all the Provinces, with 5 clubs playing in the lower Division, same as green buffaloes which has 6-7 feeder clubs. Back in Kenya, only Gor Mahia has a stable feeder youth club playing in the FKF League.

In matters signings players like Rodrick kabwe in 2012 was bought at $85,000 from a Division One club with another player coming on board for a loan agreement worth $1000.The $85,000 figure is far much high and no Kenyan club has ever splashed such a figure even in the top tier to buy a player with records at KPL showing $8000 as the highest figure ever a KPL club paid for signings.This figure could be even more currently.

When it comes to players recompense, again the Zambian clubs are tops. A look at Kitwe based club and most successful Zambian Club Nkana Red Devils, home to Kenyan Jacob Kelly. Nkana sponsors Mopani Mines is reported to have given ZSL top scorer in the 2013 season Ronald Kampampa ‘Sate sate’ a Toyota Double Cab and $5000 for his exploits when Nkana lifted the 2013 league.

Zambian clubs have so far attracted top Ugandan players like Tony Odur who failed to have an impact at Kitwe’s Nkana. Jacob Keli and David Owino who both play for the National Soccer team of Kenya both say they are happy in Zambia and the hospitality and care they get from their clubs in Zambia. The decision by Antony Akumu to accept a move from Sudanese side Al Khartoum where he is reported to be earning more than $2000 a month minus allowances and move down South to engage Zesco in talks shows the financial capability of the Ndola based club.

A league which attracts top alien players from all over the continent for just trials shows how lucrative the league is.

Kenya has a well-run and systematized league under KPL CEO Jack Oguda with good marketing thus making it attractive to foreign players who finds it easier to play in Kenya as it’s a good marketing place to join the top European leagues.

Top players like Fiston Razak formerly of Sofapaka now at Mamelodi Sundowns found their way easily outside the KPL because of the marketing although what he was netting at Sofapaka was far much lower than what clubs like Zesco, Zanaco etc pay.

Most foreign players would prefer a low salary but get offers from European countries unlike Kenyan players who would rather go for a club which pays well at whatever place.

Zambian clubs pay player’s upto K18000 approximately $1300 and according to ESPN’s The Magazine money issue, Green Buffaloes Christopher Katongo is ranked among the best paid players in Africa with sources saying he pockets close to $458,000 annually 25 times higher than what the highest paid KPL player pockets annually. Joseph Musonda of Nkana was said to pocket $60,000 yearly which is also 4 times more than what the top KPL earning player pouches annually.

From a time where ZSL was characterised by low salaries and poor conditions where players could earn a trifling K200 players would leave for countries like South Africa, Botswana and Namibia etc. Since 2014 there has been a remarkable turnaround. They are now Zambian locals who earn K9000 and reports indicate that big clubs like Zesco, Zanaco, Power, Green Buffaloes and Nkana can offer upto K18, 000 approximately $1300 and more as salary only and upto K8000 on bonuses in a month for each player.

According to a Zambian source, a visit to the NAPSA Stars training ground at the Woodlands Stadium in Lusaka, You find several vehicles like Mercedes Benz, BMWs littering the car packs, they almost all belong to players.

‘Today top teams can pay upto $81000-$81500 annually on players’ windfalls, this is better and encouraging ‘Ponga liwewe, a renowned football commentator said. He further said players can buy cars, build houses and do investments. He said that even the rise of Lubumbashi based side TP Mazembe was facilitated through sponsorship by a Zambian Company named Chani Fisheries owned by the then Kitwe based Congolese businessman Moise Katumbi with players like Tresor Mputu began earning K30,000 ($6000)

A case of Zesco which is one of the highest ranked African teams in terms of annual replica Kit overseas sales with Colombian fans the furthest its replicas are sold.Nkana,Power Dynamos,Zanaco,Kabwe warriors and Mufulira Wanderers replicas are hot cake in Zambia unlike Kenya where only Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards replicas hit the arcade.

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Austin Oduor

talking African football