Former Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) communications manager Desmond Katongo has told Goal Diggers that he made the decision to resign from the position in December last year.
Katongo resigned from the position on Tuesday last week but only confirmed on Saturday via a Facebook post.
“Good evening friends and family. Today I have been inundated with a series of phone calls concerning my departure from FAZ. I wish to inform you that I officially resigned from my position as FAZ Communications Manager on Tuesday. I wish to thank the FAZ President Mr Andrew Kamanga and his executive for giving me an opportunity to serve in this position. I will forever be grateful! Thank you very much for your support for the last two years,” read his Facebook post.
However, Katongo told Goal Diggers in an interview that following his resignation that he decided to do so last year December.
“Even if somebody offered me the position of a General Secretary, I was still going to leave FAZ, says Desmond Katongo. I made a personal decision to leave the FA in December last year. This month I clock two years. It was the ideal time for me to go. Even if somebody offered me the GS position, I was still going to leave FAZ. I represented the FA in the most professional manner possible and am thankful for the opportunity,” Katongo said.
Katongo further dismissed reports in some sections of the media that allege that he was also a FAZ Club Licensing manager.
“I wish to clarify something, I was never the club licencing Manager of FAZ, I was communications manager even the day I handed in my resignation letter. I don’t have a letter with me saying club Licencing Manager. The only letter I have with me is my appointment letter as communications manager. Please ask your sources whether there is a formal letter they wrote to me. Leaving the Association shouldn’t be a matter of life and death. I have done my part and someone else needs to pick it up from there. I need some peace please,” said Katongo.
The Kamanga led FAZ has seen high profile resignations like no other including General Secretary Ponga Liwewe a year ago, Technical Director Moses Sichone, Referees Manager Kenneth Chichenga and Club Licensing Manager Erick Mwanza, all in just under two years.