By GRACE CHAILE LESOETSA and MUKWIMA CHILALA
BANNED football administrator Blackwell Siwale has welcomed the visit by FIFA to Zambia saying it will be an opportunity for the world football body to consider all matters on the table and arrive at a logical conclusion based on the factual evidence from all factions.
Siwale said in an interview that for a while now, FIFA had based its decision on what they have been told by the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ).
FIFA chief member Associations Officer Veron Mosengo -Omba in a letter to the minister of Sport Emmanuel Mulenga said he would as soon as possible travel to Zambia to meet the government and relevant stakeholders to discuss the football situation in the country
He said it was time that FIFA was told the truth on what is really happening in Zambian football away from emails.
“It’s exciting in the sense that FIFA will now be told the truth or the other side of what has been happening in Zambia instead of the one-sided story from FAZ.
“It’s an opportunity for FIFA to consider all matters on the table and arrive at the logical conclusion based on the factual evidence which will come from both sides,” Siwale said.
He appealed to the minister to ensure all aggrieved parties are given a chance to be heard for the meeting to achieve its objective.
Siwale was however disappointed that FIFA had to send a representative from Switzerland to resolve Zambia’s internal issues.
“It’s disappointing in that we wouldn’t have reached this stage where FIFA had to come to Zambia to resolve issues in Zambia, we can resolve them ourselves,” he said.
“The minister should ensure that all aggrieved parties either are asked to prepare a document if they can’t appear in person when the FIFA representative comes. Every person who feels injured in this electoral process should have a say,” he said.
And Elijah Chileshe, who was disqualified from contesting the Copperbelt Province chairman post said he was hopeful FIFA would be fair and impartial to all parties.
“I feel all along FIFA has only been hearing one side, its better they come and hear both sides. There are a lot of issues concerning our football and FIFA just want to know one side, they have never heard the other side of the story,’’ Chileshe said.
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