By SANDRA MWILA and NDINAWE SIMPELWE –
FORMER Republican president Rupiah Banda has cautioned the newly elected Andrew Kamanga Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) executive committee to be inclusive and transparent.
The former president said the executive would need to be inclusive and transparent in their conduct of the affairs of soccer in the country for Zambia to achieve football glory again.
He said this in a congratulatory message released by deputy administrative assistant Chibeza Mfuni.
“I wish the new FAZ team every success especially at this crucial time when the Chipolopolo is preparing to play crucial qualifying matches for the AFCON and World Cup. I have every confidence that the new team will not let the nation down. I wish them God’s blessings,” Banda said.
Football administrator Ponga Liwewe said Kamanga’s election was the beginning of a new era for Zambian football.
Ponga said this was because Kamanga brings managerial expertise, accountability and corporate governance which has been lacking under the previous leadership.
“There is need to look at restructuring the organisation from top to bottom to enable it meet the challenges of modern football. The separation of the league from the FA will need to be revisited.
“Football’s commercial value has been undervalued and this is an opportunity to realign the organisation to become self-sustaining so that the development programmes and national teams can become successful,” he said.
Barred Alex Munasha expressed happiness that a more transparent executive was ushered into office as compared to the one that disqualified him from contesting the treasurer position.
Munasha maintained that his disqualification was on flimsy grounds and a mark of how the former executive failed to uphold transparency.
He said he was ready to work with the new executive if called upon.
Football administrator Simataa Simataa urged the new executive committee to bring sanity at Football House which he said was marred by financial scandals.
“I’m sure this executive will deliver because the man at the helm of the executive is a hard worker who is goal oriented. I congratulate the new executive and I urge them to uphold football standards,” he said.
Simataa called on the new FAZ executive to be proactive in a bid to improve football standards in the country as they had no time to waste looking at the huge task at hand.