Former FIFA Referee Gladys Lengwe Resigns as FAZ Referees Committee Chairperson

13.03.2026 | Football DNA

Gladys Lengwe

According to ZamFoot Crew, highly respected former referee Gladys Lengwe has resigned from her position as chairperson of the Football Association of Zambia Referees Committee, citing what she described as unprecedented levels of corruption within the refereeing system.

In a resignation letter addressed to FAZ General Secretary Reuben Kamanga, Lengwe reportedly expressed concern that efforts by the Referees Committee to stop the repeated appointment of allegedly corrupt referees had been undermined.

Lengwe stated that during her more than 25 years in refereeing, she had witnessed the growth and evolution of the profession but had never experienced corruption at the level she now believes exists. She explained that she was mentored in a system built on integrity and previously served under the Referees Association of Zambia, as well as under the late referees manager Katongo Kabungo.

She reportedly said that although issues may have existed in the past, the current situation appeared to be far worse than anything she had previously witnessed.

Lengwe also alleged that the Referees Committee had effectively been reduced to a symbolic body with little authority. According to her letter, Referees Manager Stanley Hachiwa allegedly holds more influence than the committee itself.

She further claimed that when she questioned the continued appointment of referees she considered corrupt, her directives were ignored and the same officials continued to be assigned to matches.

Lengwe suggested that this situation undermined the authority and effectiveness of the Referees Committee and raised serious concerns about governance within Zambian football refereeing structures.