ZESCO United Hit with Suspension After Court Move
The Zambian Premier League has suspended ZESCO United from the MTN Super League with immediate effect after the club opted to take a football-related dispute to ordinary courts.
The decision follows ZESCO United’s legal challenge regarding their removal from the ABSA Cup. The dispute centers on their earlier fixture against Mutondo Stars, which had already been played in the first half of the season.
Despite this, the league later classified the match as a postponed fixture during ABSA Cup qualification assessments. This was done even though ZESCO had reached the required 17-game threshold needed for qualification. The club was subsequently instructed to replay the fixture, which they lost resulting in the forfeiture of their ABSA Cup slot to FC MUZA.
ZPL Chief Executive Officer Joseph Chimpampwe stated that football regulations clearly prohibit clubs from taking disputes to civil courts, emphasizing that internal arbitration channels must be followed.
As a consequence, all fixtures involving ZESCO United have been suspended until the matter is resolved.
The situation also exposes broader governance concerns within the league. ZPL Chairman Kephas Katongo remains unable to fully execute his duties due to a court injunction obtained by Elijah Lungu, who had previously challenged the league’s electoral process.
This ongoing conflict underscores the growing tension between football governance structures and the use of ordinary courts, raising questions about consistency, fairness, and administrative control in Zambian football.
