By SHAMAOMA MUSONDA –
THE Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) has lined up Konkola Stadium as one of the match venues as the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) inspectors arrive in the country to check on Zambia’s preparedness to win the bid to host the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals.
Zambia is in a race to host the 2019 AFCON alongside Algeria, Cameroun, Ivory Coast, Guinea and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The move by FAZ to include Konkola Stadium as a match venue seems to have substituted the yet-to-be constructed Mongu Stadium from facilities that will be under microscope by the CAF inspection team next week with Nkoloma Stadium also as a backup plan for the Livingstone Stadium.
Konkola Stadium had in the past played venue to international games as it hosted Zambia’s home games in 2010 AFCON and World Cup qualifiers.
According to a programme of events, the five-member CAF inspection team that include Paul Bassey, Amadou Diakite of Mali, Amr Fahmy of Egypt, Adoum Djibrine of Chad and Walter Gagg are expected in the country tomorrow.
The inspectors will then tour the Heroes National Stadium and other training and accommodation facilities in Lusaka on Sunday before moving to the Copperbelt on Tuesday to inspect Konkola Stadium and other training facilities that include Watson Stadium, Nchanga Stadium in Chingola as practice venues while Protea Hotel has been lined up to cater for accommodation.
On the same day, the CAF team will wind up their inspection with a visit to the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola where they will also check on the training and accommodation facilities that include Moba Hotel in Kitwe.
FAZ general secretary George Kasengele said yesterday that there was no need for panic about the inspectors not going to Mongu but would instead be taken there in their next visit to Zambia.
“Mongu still remains an integral piece in the bid, both FAZ and the Government have lined it up and we shall definitely go there when time is right. For now the inspectors will look at the lined-up venues,” Kasengele said.
