Following claims that some aspiring candidates may be barred from running in the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) elections in March, incumbent Andrew Kamanga has stated that only the constitution, which is aligned with FIFA statutes, will determine who is eligible.
Adrian Kashala, one of the aspiring candidates, claimed last year that the current FAZ administration is attempting to prevent others from running, while Minister of Youth, Sports and Arts Elvis Nkandu last week urged all sports federations in the country to include anyone who wishes to run for any position on the ballot.
Nkandu also stated that he has observed some sports federations changing their constitutions to extend their tenure, something he strongly opposes.
The minister directed all sports federations in the country to deposit their amended constitutions with the National Sports Council of Zambia: “Within one week after you come from your AGM (Annual General Meeting) where there are some amendments, make sure that within a week the constitution is deposited with the National Sports Council of Zambia sealed. Because what we’ve come to realise is the fact that you have continued to alter your own constitutions to suit your prolonged stay in office to also suit you so that you bar others from contesting.”
Nkandu also argued that the international federations to which the respective sports federations in the country are affiliated do not provide constitutions to their members.
“International federations will not give you a constitution to follow. That is not the procedure. You make your own constitutions. A federation has got its members, who sit together and make a constitution.”
Kamanga reacts to Nkandu’s statement
In what appears to be a response to the minister’s statement, Kamanga said all stakeholders were availed with the electoral roadmap.
“Over the years we have invested in familiarizing our members with the FAZ and FIFA Statutes. In line with FAZ Statutes, we have availed all stakeholders with the roadmap and clearly spelt out the phases for avoidance of speculation,” Kamanga wrote in his weekly column posted on the FAZ Facebook page on Monday morning. “The Electoral Committee has done a tremendous job so far in spelling out the detailed roadmap that has been deposited with all the provincial offices. Anybody wishing to participate should know that the nominations will run from February 1-7. The Electoral Committee will announce the successful candidates on February 17 while prospective candidates wishing to appeal can do so from February 17-22.”
Kamanga continued: “On February 22, 2025, the final list of successful candidates after the appeal process will be released with campaigns officially open. We wish to re-state once again that the only determinant for who is eligible or not is the constitution. Period! It is not a secret that the FAZ Constitution is aligned with the FIFA Constitution through an open process that was done by the membership.
Only FAZ council can change the constitution- Kamanga
The FAZ president, who will seek re-election ten years after defeating Kalusha Bwalya at the 2016 EGM said only the FAZ council can make changes to the constitution.
“The current constitution was adopted in 2017 to among other things reduce the electoral college from 350 to 86 and also pave way for decentralization. No one should lie that an individual can subvert a document as sacred as the FAZ Constitution as this is a preserve of the FAZ Council. Additionally, the independent FAZ Electoral Committee oversees the process with support from the Electoral Commission of Zambia staff who are endorsed by the FAZ council.”
Political tensions in Zambian football circles are high, with the FAZ elections scheduled for March 29, 2025.
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