KAMANGA SHOULD CHAIR FAZ AGM
… he must explain how funds for stadia renovations were spent , says Blackwell Siwale
By Cecilia Nayame
FORMER Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) committee member Blackwell Siwale says Andrew Kamanga should be allowed to chair the reconvened annual general meeting (AGM) set for next Friday in Kabwe.
Siwale said despite Kamanga’s term of office expiring on February 28, it would be important for him to chair the meeting and answer to the ‘sins’ committed in 2024 among others issues.
He said Kamanga should explain to the councillors how of the funds meant for renovations of stadiums in some provinces were spent.
“I am proposing that the incumbent FAZ president –[Andrew Kamanga] be allowed to chair the meeting so that he can answer to the ‘sins’ committed in 2024 by his executive…he should as well explain how funds which were meant for stadium rehabilitation were spent among other issues,” Siwale said when he featured on Phoenix FM’s Let The People Talk programme yesterday.
Meanwhile, Siwale has endorsed Lusaka lawyer Keith Mweemba as his preferred candidate for the FAZ presidency
He said Mweemba had what it takes to change the face of Zambian football.
“We are looking for someone who is going to unite the football family and look into the plight of girl child. We need someone who is going to put more money into football,” he said.
Siwale described Mweemba as a passionate football administrator who meant well for Zambian football.
“Keith Mweemba is passionate about running football, at least he has demonstrated, and we have seen the way he is running MUZA FC.
“Keith is passionate about football while the rest of the candidates are just ambitious, moreover, they have all been at FAZ before. So in this case, we need to try someone new, someone who has never been at Football House before,” he said.
Siwale urged councillors to choose between passion and ambition for the growth of the sport.
Siwale also said he did not hold any grudges against Kamanga but that he merely did not agree with the manner the incumbent was running football in the country.
He said he would not side with an individual who took personal decisions when other people’s voices could as well bring change to the sport.
In 2018, Kamanga’s executive through its disciplinary committee led by Cephas Katongo expelled Siwale and two others and banned them from all football activities for allegedly obtaining and illegally circulating FAZ confidential documents among other allegations.
Others who were banned along with Siwale were Damiano Mutale and Kelvin Chipili for putting the name FAZ and Kamanga into disrepute.
