The inside story: The FIFA letter and the delayed FAZ letter to the Ministry of Sports

DAMNED IF YOU DO, DAMNED IF YOU DON’T

“If a man is hated in the village, he will be accused of raising dust even when he jumps to dance in a pool of water,” so goes a Zambian saying.

It simply means that, because of the hatred they carry in their hearts, your enemies shall always invent an angle to look at you and yours and they will have a reason to accuse you even when you are innocent. This is a case of your enemy choosing to remain your enemy no matter what good you do or how you act towards him. No matter what you do – good or bad – the naysayers will always throw mud, shade and criticisms your way. Haters will always hate! You are ever wrong in their eyes.

This is the case of FAZ and the “aggrieved parties”. The two are sworn enemies. Courts, bench warrants, politicians, monies, police and other resources have thrown onto this battle. I pity the current FAZ leadership because, no matter what they do or say, there will always be a group of Zambians who will attack the association and its leadership. Here is the scenario: First they were accused of hiding the letter from FIFA and headlines screamed on social media and in newspapers. I took the initiative to unearth the letter and publish it. One would have though it would calm tempers. Instead it was accusations like:
Why did FAZ keep the letter for 3 months?
Why didn’t FAZ notify the Ministry in November? And so on and so forth.

WHAT HAPPENED

1. 5th November – FIFA eMeeting for Zambia Stakeholders
2. 24th November – FIFA states that it is of the view that FAZ should proceed with the elections and asks for the roadmap.
3. 27th November – FAZ responds to FIFA not later than the deadline of 30th November, 2020 and says elections will be held before the end of February 2021.
4. 3rd February – FIFA finally responds to FAZ and gives a go ahead with the elections. This is in email form.
4. 11th February – FAZ writes a letter to Ministry of Sports informing them that elections would go ahead and conclude on 27th February, 2021.
5. 12th February – FAZ writes a memo to FAZ members informing them that AGM will be held on 27th February, 2021 as per FIFA guidance
6. 17th February – FIFA writes to FAZ reaffirming its stance on the elections going ahead and indeed promising to monitor the elections.

In a piece that has been circulating for two days and which many have asked me to comment on or indeed respond to, renowned accountant and football man Mumbo Lombe claims that “[FAZ, in the circular to stakeholders on 12th February, 2021] mentions that FIFA has asked FAZ to provide a detailed road map (a directive FIFA asked FAZ to action before 30th November, 2020)”. This is not correct. It doesn’t mention that. I am attaching the said memo for you to read; kindly find attached hereto.

Lombe mixed the letter to the minister and the letter to stakeholders. The letter to the minister refers to the roadmap issue. This is because this is the first time that FAZ is reporting to the Ministry on the FIFA response to the e-Meeting.

Lombe further says “On 29th November, 2020 FAZ President features on Sunday Interview…. Tells the nation that FAZ is waiting for feedback back from FIFA, no feedback yet. Note that the F.A President said this 5 days after FIFA wrote the letter to FAZ.” What he hasn’t told the nation was that FAZ was still waiting for FIFA to respond to the roadmap earlier sent with the final go-ahead when all preps had been made. FIFA only responded in that respect on 3rd February 2021 by email. Kamanga was on firm ground in that TV appearance.

Apart from the FIFA letter I exclusively published a few days ago, there was actually another letter from FAZ to FIFA in the last month detailing progress towards elections. Lombe never mentioned that one round of letters. It is only on 3rd February when FIFA responded to the FAZ letter of November last year vindicating Kamanga.

DID FAZ CONTACT THE MINISTRY OF SPORTS OVER THE FIFA DECISION?

Yes and I attach the letter from FAZ to MSYCD.

Why in February and not in November? Because FIFA only responded to FAZ on 3rd February. By 11th, FAZ informed the ministry after all preparations had been put in place.

DID FAZ HOLD ONTO THE LETTER FOR 3 MONTHS?

Double “No”. First no because 24th November to 11th February is less than 3 months (ok am just being petty and joking here 😉 🙂 ) and second “no” because there was a lot going on in between November and February to stop FAZ from holding the elections.

The problem is that, some of our colleagues want to look at things in a simple and linear way of assuming you have the decision today, then you should act tomorrow. To them “a” is always followed by “b” and then by “c”. But sometimes “a” is immediately followed by “c” such as in the word “accountability”.

In reality, a lot goes on in the background to prepare for such national undertakings like FAZ elections that bring together councilors from all over the nation.

I will address only two issues here due to time.

You see, the FAZ secretariat does not conduct elections. FAZ elections are conducted by the government of the republic of Zambia. The Electoral Commission of Zambia conducts them. The FAZ constitution requires that all elections are conducted by officials from ECZ for impartiality. The National Sports Council of Zambia then monitors the elections.

FAZ tried to have the AGM in December, days after the letter came from FIFA came but it was told elections could not proceed because ECZ officials, who manage FAZ elections, were engaged – busy in national political elections – and could not conduct FAZ elections. In early January, alone, we had the Maramba Ward by-elections in Livingstone, local government by-elections for the Kaimbwe ward seat in Kasempa district, the Kamimba Ward local government by-election in Lumezi District and Loula Ward by-election in Kalabo district. In early February there was the Vubwi District Council by-elections and Miputu Ward by-elections in Masaiti district. It’s only in the last few days that ECZ gave the all-clear and at which time FAZ could now announce the date and inform the ministry finally. Otherwise if notice had been given earlier, there would have been no roadmap and no dates.

Remember also that despite FIFA stating its intentions of letting FAZ go ahead with elections, it only responded on the 3rd of February, by email, to give its final go-ahead. And within a week FAZ wrote to the ministry with the notice.

Secondly, with the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of meetings, FAZ couldn’t have the AGM in January at a time where the ministry of health announced a stop to fans going to stadia. After its initial applications to police and health permits for elections, these finally came in February and FAZ could then proceed. I attach copies of health and police permits for Muchinga elections held earlier this week and for Choma to be held on Sunday.

IS THE AGM AVOIDING AFCON QUALIFIERS?

No. The dates were set last year. Of course Kamanga knew the date and has an advantage over Munaile and that is the advantage of incumbency. Even at national level, all MMD presidents knew the electoral dates and announced them because the constitution required them but the MMD still lost power. Knowing the date doesn’t give Kamanga an extremely undue advantage considering that his opponent(s) has(ve) also been campaigning for the last one year. In fact it is almost time for the 2021 AGM and the idea to have the elective AGM in February frees March for the possibility of having the 2021 AGM.

There is no way the elections can be held after the AFCON qualifiers which is the time we should be having the 2021 AGM.

WILL GOVERNMENT CANCEL THE AGM USING COVID-19?

I have seen more weird and strange decisions by the ministry of sports and already Daily Mail’s Diana Chipepo has said that the AGM may be cancelled on the issue of permits citing National Sports Council of Zambia Chairman Patrick Mutimushi. Believe Chipepo when she says this because she tends to have special access to data from the ministry and NSCZ. If this happens, I won’t be surprised because many people have used many reasons to stop these elections but this won’t be on merit. The ministry of health has already given a go-ahead for the AGM and the provincial meetings. The police have also given the go-ahead. (I have already attached copies of health and police permits for you to see. Kindly find attached hereto.)

Don’t underestimate the political influence from both the National Sports Council of Zambia and the Ministry of Sports on this process.

I end by congratulating Mr Chisanga Pule for winning the Central Province Chairperson position. This makes him a FAZ Executive Committee member. I worked with Pule at Lusaka Dynamos.