KAMANGA TEAM CHALLENGES MWEEMBA TO DEFEND CONSTITUTION CONSISTENTLY

KAMANGA TEAM CHALLENGES MWEEMBA TO DEFEND CONSTITUTION CONSISTENTLY

Lusaka… Monday April 28, 2025 – The campaign team for Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) president Andrew Kamanga has hit back at presidential challenger Keith Mweemba, citing him for selective outrage and political posturing in the run-up to the crucial May 9 elections.

In a statement issued earlier today, Kamanga’s camp questioned Mweemba’s commitment to upholding the FAZ constitution, following his recent press release alleging constitutional breaches by the current executive.

The team said while Mweemba was quick to demand the full tabling of financial and statutory reports, he had previously remained silent when the National Sports Council of Zambia (NSCZ) and court injunctions disrupted FAZ’s constitutional processes.

“Where was Mr Mweemba to defend the FAZ constitution when the National Sports Council through its CEO, Mr Musunsa, directed FAZ General Secretary Mr Reuben Kamanga not to call an executive meeting to approve the accounts?” the statement asked. “Where was he when the FAZ AGM was halted by an injunction?”

The Kamanga team further reminded Mweemba that FIFA itself directed outgoing provincial chairpersons to oversee provincial AGMs, a decision which he accepted by attending seven out of ten such meetings without raising objections.

The statement also argued that accusations against Kamanga, particularly regarding the alleged failure to present financial statements, were misleading. They clarified that the presentation of FAZ’s 2024 financial statements and 2025 budget were scheduled agenda items for the AGM, which Kamanga is constitutionally mandated to chair.

“It is clear that there is a deliberate and calculated attempt to discredit Mr Kamanga,” the statement reads, adding that Kamanga, a Chartered Accountant and member of both CAF and FIFA finance structures, had no challenge in presenting FAZ accounts if the NSCZ allowed him to preside over the AGM.

The Kamanga team warned that the current narrative being pushed by Mweemba suggested an unwillingness to face Kamanga in a properly constituted election.

“It is surprising that Mr Mweemba is advocating for the disqualification of candidates before elections are held. If Mr Mweemba has evidence of wrongdoing, he has every right to report it to law enforcement agencies instead of attempting to derail the electoral process,” they charged.

The team reiterated that the proposed move to defer discussion of certain agenda items until after elections was not an attempt to shield anyone from scrutiny but a practical measure to conclude a process already delayed by court actions.

In closing, the Kamanga campaign insisted that proceeding to elections would ensure a fully functional FAZ executive is in place and urged Mweemba to hold any FAZ member accountable after the elections if wrongdoing is proven.