FOOTBALL Administrator Mwansa Mbulakulima has written to Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) president Andrew Kamanga, urging him to resign and pave way for fresh leadership.
In a letter dated October 12th 2021, Mbulakulima said the message Kamanga delivered to the country did not correspond with the results he had produced.
“On Sunday, October 10, 2021 the senior national team drew against Equatorial Guinea at Heroes Stadium in Lusaka. This result comes back of a 2-0 defeat by the same team three days earlier and effectively ends our aspirations to see Chipolopolo at the 2022 World Cup finals to be hosted by Qatar. While Zambia has never qualified to the FIFA World Cup, our aim as a regional footballing powerhouse is to make it to that lucrative competition and showcase the immense football talent our country churns out year in-year out. From the day you were elected as FAZ president, in March 20, 2016, Zambians have waited with high expectations of your ability to deliver positive results by a well sold campaign you fronted,” read the excerpts of the letter.
“The message you outlined was transparency and accountability while delivering as Head of FAZ. Sadly, the message you delivered to football councilors and the country at large does not correspond with the results you have produced. Soon after you were elected, Zambia was engaged in qualifiers for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon. Chipolopolo failed to make the trip after a dismal performance in the qualifiers.”
Mbulakulima said Kamanga should resign in the interest of Zambian football.
“What we have observed is failure and an attempt to annihilate dissenting voices by manipulating football legislators to suit a narrow agenda. And I take extreme umbrage to this approach which has created a toxic and divided atmosphere in our sport and the country at large. If anything, the attempt to target those you may not agree with or those who have opposed the style of management is partly the reason our football standards have dwindled to these embarrassing levels. You have spent more time scheming to eliminate your opponents while football suffers. In view of the [on]going, allow me to impress on your conscience to a decision that imputes the responsibility of serving the country over self to pave way for a fresh leadership that may have better ideas to drive our number one sport forward. Mr Kamanaga please accept my request for you to resign forthwith in the interest of Zambian football,” stated Mbulakulima.