ONLY FAZ PRESIDENT CAN CHAIR AGM – MULONGA
By Cecilia Nayame
FORMER Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) president Teddy Mulonga says the only person mandated to chair the FAZ elective annual general meeting (AGM) is the incumbent president as prescribed by the constitution.
And Mulonga has called for amendment of the FAZ constitution to align some articles within the required standards.
Mulonga said in an interview yesterday that no other member of the association was allowed to preside over an AGM apart from the president.
He said in the absence of the president, the association’s vice president was legally mandated to take over duties of the president.
“So the question of who presides over the meeting (AGM) for the Council, it’s only the incumbent president not anybody else…in the absence of the incumbent, then the vice president of the association takes over,” Mulonga said.
He quoted Article 38, subsection five of the FAZ constitution which stipulated the chairman’s role during an AGM.
He said in a case where the AGM is deferred to a later date and having the mandate of the executive expired, the incumbent was still at liberty to chair the meeting within his capacity.
“In this case, we are talking about a meeting which was deferred, my request to the councillors is to remember what we are dealing with here, a deferred AGM.
“The meeting was deferred not because the mandate for the old executive had expired, no, but because somebody outside went and brought in an injunction. So when the meeting is deferred, it does not mean the chairmanship has changed…it’s important to always get back to the constitution and read what it states,” he said.
Government, through the National Sports Council of Zambia (NSCZ) has directed FAZ general secretary Reuben Kamanga to chair the AGM set for this Friday at Misuku Lodge in Kabwe because Andrew Kamanga’s tenure, who is the incumbent president has come to an end.
And Mulonga has urged councillors not to allow any situation that would jeopardies the running of football in the country.
He said it was important for councillors to remain firm as they go for the AGM.
“My plea to the councilors is that they should not allow any situation that will jeopardies football in this country. Like I said, football has been set by rules, played by rules and also lost by rules. It’s a game for all of us and it must be protected by all of us,” he said.
Mulonga said football was a unifying sport which needed to be protected by all well-meaning Zambians.
“Football is the biggest unifier we have at the present moment. When the Zambia national team is playing, they do not play as an individual but as a team and we need to take a leaf from that,” he said.
Mulonga also said it was important to protect the pride of players especially those who are abroad.
“When they [Zambia national team] win, we all rejoice as Zambia. So don’t jeopardies the Barbara Banda girls who are doing very well outside there,” he said.
Mulonga appealed to the incoming FAZ executive to continue building on the successes made towards improving the sport in the country.
“Whoever is coming into FAZ they should build on the successes and correct things. They should take their role seriously especially when dealing with issues concerning the association,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mulonga said it was important for the new executive to work within the confines of the FIFA statutes to avoid abrogating the FAZ constitution.
“FIFA does not accept any decisions made from outside FAZ council. Football is very democratic,” he said.
Lusaka lawyer Keith Mweemba, former FAZ vice president Emmanuel Munaile and former FAZ general secretary Adrian Kashala are challenging incumbent president Andrew Kamanga for the FAZ presidency.