Nkandu demands answers from TopStar
By Cecilia Nayame
MINISTER of Youth, Sport and Arts Elvis Nkandu has summoned pay television broadcaster TopStar Communications Company to explain why it has abruptly stopped televising the FAZ/MTN Super Division matches.
Speaking during the launch of the Absa Cup tournament in Lusaka yesterday, Nkandu said it was important for the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) and TopStar to find an amicable solution and chart a way forward.
“When you are talking about premier league games, this is where TopStar comes in. I am appealing, I want to meet TopStar so that we see how best we can sort out this issue as soon as possible,” Nkandu said.
The minister said it was important to hear directly from the broadcaster for a clearer understanding of the situation.
“We need to know if they are not interested so that we look elsewhere. It is just important,” he said.
Nkandu urged FAZ to treat the matter with urgency.
Nkandu dismissed load shedding as a valid reason for the disruption, noting that TopStar was aware of the country’s power challenges when it entered into the broadcasting agreement.
“I know that TopStar knew there was load shedding at the time they were coming in, so for me that should not be an excuse because they knew what they were getting into. Contractual obligations are serious matters,” he said.
Nkandu pointed to Absa’s sponsorship model, saying the bank had consistently honoured its commitments, including securing broadcast rights with SuperSport.
“Like today, we are with Absa, making more like a contract between FAZ and them, and they have always lived up to that,” he said.
He said the matter required swift resolution, especially now that power supply had improved.
“Now that we have power again, what’s the issue? Our people are thirsty to watch their teams. I would also want to appeal to FAZ and TopStar to bridge these gaps so that fans can appreciate what teams like Real Nakonde are doing,” Nkandu said.
He said the ministry would work with the National Sports Council of Zambia (NSCZ) to facilitate a meeting with TopStar.
“We will soon be engaging the NSCZ director. We need to follow this issue. It is urgent and needs to be worked on as soon as possible,” Nkandu said.
