Zambia Army Commander Lieutenant General Geoffrey Choongo Zyeele has promoted Barbra Banda to the rank of Warrant Officer Class Two (WOII) and Racheal Kundananji from Private to Corporal.
During a ceremony at Army headquarters in Lusaka today, Lt Gen Zyeele praised the remarkable performances of both players, noting that they have been inspiring to young female young players.
He expressed pride at the duo’s achievements, highlighting their fighting spirit and resilience, which embody the heart of the buffalo among the pride of lions.
WOII Banda, who captains the national team and plays her club football at Orlando Pride in the U.S. National Women’s Leagur, has had an outstanding season, making history as the first Zambian to win the prestigious BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year Award.
Her success is complemented by her exceptional individual performance at both the national and club levels.
From 2023 to October 2024, WOII Banda became the highest-scoring African player in Olympic history with 10 goals.
She played a crucial role in the national team during the Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers, leading the Copper Queens to next year’s WAFCON following a 12-0 aggregate victory against Angola in a two-legged tie.
After her record-breaking transfer from Shanghai Shengli in China to Orlando Pride in the USA, where she became the second most expensive female player in the world, WOII Banda scored 13 goals during the regular season, added four more in the playoffs, provided seven assists, and was named Most Valuable Player (MVP), helping her club secure its first league title.
The Copper Queens captain triumphed over Barcelona players Aitana Bonmati and Caroline Graham Hansen to win the award.
WOII is the second highest non-commissioned officer rank in the Zambia Army.
Corporal Kundananji, the world’s most expensive female player valued at $860,000, scored five goals for her club.
