Following FIFA’s directive to the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) to reconvene its elective Annual General Meeting (AGM) within 21 days — and no later than May 10, 2025 — the government has urged all stakeholders not to disrupt the electoral process again.
This development comes after the original AGM, scheduled for March 29, was halted due to an interim injunction issued by the High Court of Zambia. The ruling barred FAZ from proceeding with elections and effectively suspended the AGM.
The injunction arose from a case filed by Humphry Mwape Musonda, acting as General Secretary of Damiano Academy FC, against FAZ President Andrew Kamanga, FAZ General Secretary Reuben Kamanga, and the Sports Council of Zambia. Musonda argued that the FAZ leadership had overstepped its mandate and that the electoral process lacked transparency.
Following the court’s ruling, FAZ was barred from holding elections, and the Sports Council of Zambia was instructed to form a Transitional Committee to oversee FAZ affairs, as the Executive Committee’s term had expired.
“Stay Away” – Nkandu Warns Distractors
In response to FIFA’s recent letter, Minister of Youth, Sport and Arts, Elvis Nkandu, emphasized that the electoral process must proceed without further interference.
“If you’re not ready to be a FAZ official, stay away,” the minister said in an interview on Wednesday. “If you are not a friend of this sport called football, please stay away. We want now to have this election in a very transparent and credible manner so that everyone appreciates the good gesture which has been provided by FIFA.”
Nkandu also criticized those who previously disrupted the process: “There are just those disgruntled individuals who had put up an injunction, and I am happy it was removed and everything has now come to normal. What we are looking forward to now is seeing that we have an elective AGM where everyone will participate. I always appeal to the councillors: let us look at those that can unite football the way it is.”
The minister further urged councillors to elect individuals committed to unity within the football community.
“We don’t expect those that will be very divisive to be part of the steering ship. Let those who can unite everyone [be elected].”
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