07/10/2026
FAWUZ LUNCH PITCH OF THE MONTH CAMPAIGN.
REMARKS BY FAWUZ GENERAL SECRETARY JOE KAUNDA
THE FAZ GENERAL SECRETARY MR CHARLES CHAKATAZYA, ZAMBIA PREMIER LEAGUE CEO, Mr. JOSEPH CHIPAMPWE AND HIS ENTOURAGE, FAWUZ VICE PRESIDENT MR NOEL MWANDILA and FAWUZ EXECUTIVE MEMBERS AND STAFF, CAPTAINS FROM THE LUSAKA PREMIER CLUBS, MEMBERS OF THE PRESS, OR SHOULD I SIMPLY SAY LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
WE ARE TRULY HONORED TO HAVE YOU GRACE THIS MOMENTOUS OCCASION.
WE ARE HAPPY THAT FAZ AS CUSTODIANS OF FOOTBALL IN OUR COUNTRY
IT IS INDEED WITH GREAT DELIGHT THAT I STAND BEFORE YOU AS FAWUZ GENERAL SECRETARY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BIG STRONG RELIABLE BANK, ZANACO BANK PLC, TO ANNOUNCE THE LAUNCH OF FAWUZ PITCH OF THE MONTH COMPETITION, A COMPETITION WHICH WILL FOR THE FIRST TIME , SEE STADIA AND FOOTBALL GROUNDS COMPETE IN TERMS OF THE STATE OF THE PLAYING SURFACE.
YOU MAY ASK WHY FAWUZ IS GETTING INVOLVED IN A COMPETITION ON THE STATE OF THE PLAYING SURFACE.
FIRSTLY, FAWUZ IS THE SOLE UNION IN THE COUNTRY FOR FOOTBALLERS AND OUR MANDATE IS TO TAKE CARE OF THE WELFARE OF PLAYERS, OUR MEMBERS.
AS WE TAKE CARE OF PLAYERS WELFARE AND ENSURE THAT ALL NECESSARY EQUIPMENT AND FACILTIES REQUIRED FOR THE PLAYERS SUCCESSFUL AND SAFE PERFORMANCE ON THE PITCH, WE HAVE TO ENSURE THAT PLAYERS ARE PROTECTED FROM AVOIDABLE INJURIES DUE TO POOR PITCH CONDITIONS.
WE WANT TO CONTRIBUTE TO FAZ AND ZPL FANTASTIC WORK IN STADIA INSPECTION AND THIS IS IN NO WAY INTERFERING WITH THEIR VERY NOBLE TASK.
OUR COMPETITION HOWEVER IS TO ENSURE THAT WE MOTIVATE THE GROUNDS MEN AND GROUND MANAGERS AND ULTIMATELY CLUBS AND OWNERS OF THE FACILITIES TO PUT IN EXTRA EFFORT IN ENSURING IMPROVED STANDARDS OF THE PITCH - THE TRUE OFFICE OF OUR PLAYERS.
THE KEY PARTICIPANT IN THIS COMPETITION WILL BE THE PREMIER LEAGUE CAPTAINS WHO WHEN IN AN AWAY FIXTURE WILL GRADE THE PITCH ON A SCALE OF 1-10 WITH THE PITCH COLLECTING MAXIMUM POINTS AT THE END OF THE MONTH GETTING RECOGNITION AND A MONETARY PRIZE TO BENEFIT THE GROUNDMEN.
THE RECOGNITION WILL ALSO BE A BADGE OF HONOUR TO THE CLUB OR OWNER OF THE PITCH.
AND WITH THE IMPROVED STATE OF THE PITCHES, THE PLAYER WILL BE PROTECTED. THIS IS ALSO TO APPRECIATE A VERY IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTOR TO OUR BEAUTIFUL GAME, THE GROUNDS MEN WHO ARE ALWAYS IN THE BACKGROUND BUT PLAY A VERY KEY ROLE TO OUR ENJOYMENT OF THE GAME.
THERE IS HOWEVER A CAVEAT, STATE FACILITIES LIKE HEROES STADIUM AND LEVY MWANAWASA STADIUM WILL NOT BE TAKING PART AS THEY MAY HAVE UNDUE ADVANTAGE IN TERMS OF STATE FUNDING TOWARDS PITCH MAINTENANCE.
MAY I ADD THAT AFTER THE TOTALLING OF THE ACCUMULATED POINTS FOR THE PITCHES THERE WILL BE A GRAND PRIZE FOR BEST PITCH OF THE YEAR AND THE RUNNER UP TO BE ANNOUNCED AT THE END OF THE SEASON.
MEDIA IS ALSO NOT LEFT OUT, THERE WILL BE A K15,000 SET FOR APPRECIATION OF THE MEDIA TO BE SHARED AMONG THE BEST AND CONSISTENT COVERAGE IN ELECTRONIC, PRINT AND SOCIAL MEDIA ALSO TO BE GIVEN AT THE END OF THE SEASON.
AS FAWUZ, WE PLEDGED WITH THE COOPERATION OF ZPL AND FAZ TO WORK TOWRADS OTHER PRESSING MATTER SUCH AS INSURANCE FOR OUR PLAYERS INCLUDING ULTIMATELY THE PENSION FOR FOOTBALLERS.
WE TREASURE THE WONDERFUL RELATIONSHIP WITH FAZ AND ZPL AND LOOK TOWARDS INCREASED COOPERATION FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE FOOTBALLER WITHOUT WHOM THERE CAN NEVER BE THE BEAUTIFUL GAME OF FOOTBALL. WITH THESE REMARKS I NOW INVITE OUR VICE PRESIDENT TO INVITE THE ZPL CEO TO SHARE GIVE HIS STATEMENT BEFORE WE INVITE THE FAZ GENERAL SECRETARY.
I THANK YOU
