By Paul Shalala
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| The presidential contenders |
It took over an hour for the Football Association of Zambia
(FAZ) President-Elect Andrew Kamanga to move from the audience at Moba Hotel to
the front of the conference room, a short distance of about 60 meters.
Overjoyed councilors who had fought for eight
years to unseat the 1988 African Footballer of Year at the helm of FAZ, could
not believe it when the returning officer Sukwana Lukangaba declared Kamanga the winner
at around 02:00hrs on Sunday morning.
This victory was not an easy one considering that Kalusha
was in command of the secretariat and had good will from various clubs
countrywide plus his international image and connections.
But what does this regime change at Football House teach the football
fraternity?
Hero worshiping doesn’t pay
For six months, a number of Kalu fans ran a sustained smear
campaign on social media that portrayed Kamanga as an inexperienced football
administrator who was not fit to lead Zambian football.
This campaign was led by well known journalists who
bombarded Facebook with daily propaganda messages against Kamanga and rarely posted campaign
messages for their candidate.
The campaign’s aim was to ensure that Kamanga is hated by councilors
and they end up denying him votes at the annual general meeting.
However, this campaign backfired as most people who were
commenting on these journalists’ statuses were yearning for change at Football
House.
Kalusha was so hero worshipped that these journalists had
details of every move he made: jumping on a plane, sitting down at the FIFA
headquarters, reporting for work at Football House, shaking hands with influential people, and receiving guests, etc.
Kalu had led FAZ as President for eight years and prior to that, he served as Vice President for four years.
His record at FAZ (wining Africa Cup in 2012) plus his exploits as Chipolopolo striker,
captain and coach was enough for these online supporters to have used to sell
their candidate but they decided to use the wrong strategy of attacking the
opponent.
Our friends lost it because they put hero worshiping first
instead of selling a good product in the name of Kalusha Bwalya.
Simply put, Kalu would have whitewashed Kamanga if his campaign team had the right strategy and the right message.
Most football councilors are not online
The strategists in the Kalu camp missed the point by heavily
campaigning online.
They put up a spirited campaign on Facebook forgetting that
the people with the power to vote where mostly offline.
Take for example my home team Mumbwa Medics Football Club.
As far as I know, not all its executive members are online
and there is less than 20% chance of reaching them by campaigning on Facebook.
Kamanga had little presence on social media and
he devoted most of his time and energies meeting the clubs and selling his message
to the clubs physically.
He also ran an advert at the back of newspapers for a long
time, a strategy I think which sold him to the football family especially with his call for transparency and accountability.
Regime change comes with non-violence
Four years ago when Kamanga challenged Kalu and lost, there
was a lot of confusion and violence during the FAZ Annual General Meeting.
Councilors were not ready to change the FAZ leadership that’s
why they resisted change physically to ensure that our football icon Kalusha Bwalya
remains at the helm of football in the country.
However, with so many issues surrounding the running of the game, councilors resolved to kick out their boss and ensured he ran
away from Moba Hotel before final results were announced.
A few days ago, we were told that over 1,000 Police
officers had been mobilised to maintain law and order at Moba Hotel
following reports that Jerabos had been mobilised to cause confusion.
The 2016 FAZ AGM was the most peaceful as councilors mingled,
voted and later celebrated or got disappointed without a fight.
Secretariat picked a wrong fight with Journalists
The outgoing FAZ Secretariat (Am sure Kamanga will choose
his own staff), picked a wrong fight with the media.
Journalists seen to be critical were barred from certain
events and games in the name of not having accreditation.
At one game at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola, MUVI TV sports
reporter Mike Mubanga was flushed out by a well known FAZ official for
allegedly being critical of Football House.
Last night when votes were being counted, Mike was again
flushed out of Moba Hotel by eight heavily armed Police officers at the
instruction of a FAZ official.
And when the results were announced that Kamanga had won,
Mike rushed to Moba Hotel to confront the official by which time he had already disappeared.
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| Kalusha Bwalya |
Several respected radio football analysts like Leonard Chibasa,
Aarin Phiri, Patrick Tembo and several other friends of the beautiful game were denied
accreditation to the AGM on account of not being ‘in good books’ with FAZ.
These are mistakes which the Kalu camp made and they should learn from them if they are to
make a come back in 2020.
Wayforward for Zambian football
Kamanga can go for a honeymoon for a short period of time
and quickly get back to work because Zambians are impatient and they love football.
The football family has a lot of expectations from the
business magnate.
Councilors who effected this regime change want to see real
change at Football House.
Starting from football deals, team selection and the
association’s image, Kamanga needs to make sure he works hard and ensures all his campaign
promises are implemented.
He promised to overhaul the way Division One operates and we
expected nothing less than that.
If Kamanga is going to appoint his own FAZ Secretariat, we expect him to appoint capable people who will
work for football and not for Kamanga.
If those appointees will also start hero worshiping and
praising Kamanga where they go, then the repeat of Moba Hotel will not be long.
Otherwise, congratulations Mr Kamanga and and congratulations also to Chingola businessman, former Nchanga Member of Parliament and Mines Deputy Minister Richard Kazala who was elected FAZ Vice President.
We expect nothing but transparency, accountability and
success for our beloved Chipolopolo in your four years in office.
Below is how councilors voted:
Blackwell Siwale – 173
Brenda Kunda – 143
Elijah Shenko Chileshe – 111
Lee Kawanu – 106
Kabaso Kapambwe – 99
Dr Joseph Mulenga – 92
———-
Francis Hafwiti – 86
Happie Munkondya – 80
Gideon Mwenya – 80
Violet Bwalya Kasenge – 79
Mike Chirwa – 72
Andrew Banda – 49
Jeff Chipilingu – 61
Lenny Sampa Nkhuwa – 44
Eutrasia Chambeshi – 45
Stanely Chilimunda – 6
Arthur Kamuloso – 48
Gabriel Kaunda – 32
Jordan Maliti – 49
Alex Mambwe – 11
Kennedy Matashi – 66
Nellie Miyamba – 55
Victor Mpundu – 44
Dr Joseph Mulenga – 92
Watson Mwale – 40
Alfred Mwape – 8
Felix Nsama – 57
Timothy Phiri – 7
Edwin Sisya – 27
Invalid Ballots – 7
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| Richard Kazala |
PRESIDENT
1. Andrew Kamanga – 163
2. Kalusha Bwalya – 156
3. Henschel Chitembeya – 1
4. Invalid Ballots – 4
2. Kalusha Bwalya – 156
3. Henschel Chitembeya – 1
4. Invalid Ballots – 4
VICE
PRESIDENT
1. Richard Kazala – 117
2. Pivoty Simwanza – 108
3. Mofya Chisala – 58
4. Cephas Kampamba Katongo – 28
5. Boniface Mwamelo – 8
6. Invalid Ballots – 5
2. Pivoty Simwanza – 108
3. Mofya Chisala – 58
4. Cephas Kampamba Katongo – 28
5. Boniface Mwamelo – 8
6. Invalid Ballots – 5
TREASURER
Rixie Mweemba (Unopposed)
COMMITTEE
MEMBERS
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| Lee Kawanu |
Brenda Kunda – 143
Elijah Shenko Chileshe – 111
Lee Kawanu – 106
Kabaso Kapambwe – 99
Dr Joseph Mulenga – 92
———-
Francis Hafwiti – 86
Happie Munkondya – 80
Gideon Mwenya – 80
Violet Bwalya Kasenge – 79
Mike Chirwa – 72
Andrew Banda – 49
Jeff Chipilingu – 61
Lenny Sampa Nkhuwa – 44
Eutrasia Chambeshi – 45
Stanely Chilimunda – 6
Arthur Kamuloso – 48
Gabriel Kaunda – 32
Jordan Maliti – 49
Alex Mambwe – 11
Kennedy Matashi – 66
Nellie Miyamba – 55
Victor Mpundu – 44
Dr Joseph Mulenga – 92
Watson Mwale – 40
Alfred Mwape – 8
Felix Nsama – 57
Timothy Phiri – 7
Edwin Sisya – 27
Invalid Ballots – 7
