FIFA orders FAZ to resolve Kamanga, Kazala row

Thu, 08 Dec 2016 06:56:08 +0000

By Bennie Mundando

WORLD football governing body FIFA has advised the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) council to resolve the wrangle between vice president Richard Kazala and committee member Blackwell Siwale who have been suspended by FAZ president Andrew Kamanga.

In a message to FAZ general secretary Ponga Liwewe, FIFA ordered the FAZ council to deal with the matter because it was the body mandated to so.

Early last month FAZ suspended Kazala and Siwale for alleged gross misconduct and failure to account for ticket sales of  K1,650,000.

Other charges levelled against the duo included making transactions on behalf of FAZ without express authority, receiving money on behalf of the association and insubordination.

Kazala is said to have received money on behalf of FAZ despite Kamanga’s guidance that such functions remained a preserve of the general secretary and finance manager.

In another charge, Kazala is alleged to have failed to exercise due care, thereby resulting in FAZ incurring potential loss of  K1.9 million on account of him accepting K 1.6 million in exchange for 30,000 tickets despite Kamanga and FAZ general secretary Ponga Liwewe negotiating a higher figure of K 3.5 million.

The wrangle however continued even after the suspension of the duo as Kazala continued to attacking his boss in the media which led to the association to slapping more charges against him.

Liwewe then wrote to FIFA over the turmoil which has engulfed Football House, seeking clarification on how the matter would proceed after some councillors expressed displeasure in the manner the issue was being handled by FAZ.

But in a statement dated 7th December, 2016, and signed by Liwewe, Football House said FIFA had recommended that the matter be determined by the FAZ council as stipulated by the constitution.

“FIFA has provided guidance to FAZ on the suspension of vice president Richard Kazala and executive committee member Blackwell Siwale and has recommended that the FAZ council will have to take a decision as per FAZ statutes.

“On 5th November, 2016, FAZ president Andrew Kamanga informed the FAZ council of the suspension of Kazala and Siwale in accordance with clause 28 (2)(ii) of the FAZ constitution. We have correspondence from FIFA regarding the suspension. FIFA has stated that as per FAZ statutes, the FAZ council will have to take a decision on the matter,” Liwewe said. FIFA’s recommendation means that the council is the one that will determine the duo’s fate after a prolonged period of antagonism which has drawn factions further apart as the association seems to be divided on two fronts.  FAZ has been plunged into a state of chaos as Kazala and Kamanga have been at each other’s throat from the time they were ushered into office, with the former at one point imposing himself as FAZ president in one of the WhatsApp group he administered over after his suspension. Kazala is also reported to have invited Kamanga to join the group against his wish and subjected him to a barrage of attacks from his confidants who allegedly took turns to chronicle 10 alleged failures of the FAZ boss. During his suspension, Kazala is also alleged to have gone to Livingstone where he announced the date for the association’s annual general meeting even before the association sat to agree on the date.