Zambia Air Force employs all the players of a women’s football club

The Zambia Air Force has with immediate effect employed players of the Red Arrows Women’s Football Club.

Red Arrows is a Zambian football club based in Lusaka with their home games played at Nkoloma Stadium. The side is sponsored by the Zambian Air Force.

Announcing the development, Zambia Air Force Commander, Lt Gen Colin Barry added that players who featured at the recently ended Women’s AFCON in Morocco will also be part of the recruitment of Defence Force personnel to be announced by the Defence Minister.

He explained that the development means all 35 of Red Arrows Women’s players are now employed by the Zambia Air Force as civilians. However, four of the club’s players who represented the Zambia Air Force at national level would be recruited as soldiers in the next recruitment.

Lt Gen Colin Barry was speaking when he hosted Red Arrows Women and Copper Queens players Margret Belemu, Mary Wilombe and Ochumba Oseke Lubanji at Zambia Air Force Headquarters on Friday, 05 July 2022.

He commended the Red Arrows Women’s Football players for emerging second during the 2021/2022 FAZ Women’s League and minting bronze at the WAFCON in the 3rd and 4th playoffs against Nigeria.

Lt Gen Barry also commended, Copper Queens interim captain Grace Chanda, who is away at her base in Kazakhstan, on her nomination as CAF Women’s Player of the year saying that the nomination in itself is a great achievement.

The Air Force Commander also recognized Grace Chanda and Margret Belemu for being listed among the top 11 the Total Energies 2022 WAFCON alongside other players from South Africa, Morocco and Nigeria.

Margret Belemu thanked the Air Force Commander and said joining the Zambia Air Force as a soldier was a dream come true for her and her team mates.