By FELIX MALUNGA –
FORMER world 400m hurdles champion, Samuel Matete’s bid of becoming the Zambia Amateur Athletics Association (ZAAA) president seems to have finally come to a crushing end after it was established that he is not a member of Nkana Amateur Athletics Club of Kitwe.
The latest development has left the Sports Council of Zambia (SCZ) in a quagmire as the national authority’s hands are seemingly now tied despite Matete appealing against the invalidating of his candidature by ZAAA.
Matete had contended that he was a member of Nkana and that the reasons for throwing out his nomination were baseless.
But it has now been established from Nkana and the Copperbelt Athletics Area Board (CAAB) that, although, Matete was an athlete at the club some 24 years ago, he was not a member and had not been involved in any activities in Kitwe or the province.
According to some findings released by ZAAA yesterday, Matete was informed of the issue earlier this year and that even after being invited by the Elias Mpondela-led executive to join the association with a net monthly allowance of K11,000 plus accommodation, the sprinter declined the offer.
Matete was instead said to have chosen not to cooperate but fought ZAAA from outside, thus bringing the name of the association into disrepute.
On his nomination, Matete is said to have submitted his papers signed by an unauthorised Nkana official despite the club having already officially endorsed Mpondela.
When contacted in Lusaka yesterday, SCZ acting general secretary Innocent Chalabesa said the national sports governing body would give its position on the matter known before this weekend’s elective ZAAA annual general meeting.
Matete and another candidate Jonathan Chipalo appealed to SCZ to overturn the invalidation of their nominations for the ZAAA presidency.