THE petition by Medical Stars to remove FAZ general secretary George Kasengele and two others should not be surprising to any football administrator in the country or keen followers of this beautiful game.

It’s actually long overdue. What should be surprising is why it has taken this long to concede that Kasengele’s performance has been detrimental to football.

From the onset, I expressed my reservations with the methods FAZ used to engage Kasengele. It was a recipe for anarchy.

Article 29:1(i) of the FAZ constitution states; “…the general secretary shall be employed by the FAZ executive committee on conditions to be determined and agreed on by the executive committee subject to the ratification of the council.”

This was not done. And after realising this anomaly, FAZ had an opportunity to rectify it at the last annual general meeting but opted to ignore the matter.

Two years into office, Kasengele’s frailties continue to dominate complaints emanating from Football House. Instead of discussing football development such as the brilliant ideas being churned out by those appearing before the parliamentary committee on sports, we revert to the likes of Kasengele. Of course we can’t ignore such issues for fear of being branded personal.

The efficient management of Football House is key to the implementation of the great work being presented before the parliamentary committee. If ignored, those ideas are as good as being shelved because the core implementers are the missing link at Football House.

The FAZ secretariat, in my view, currently operates as if there is a vacancy for the position of general secretary. Therefore, it will be pratically impossible to make meaningful progress without correcting the situation. The last two years has been spent on appalling levels of administration at Football House.

I may not be privy to the reasons Medical Stars chairman Alex Mambwe is advancing for Kasengele’s exit, but there is sufficient ground to petition his removal.

In addition to Mambwe’s reasons to petition, there is good ground that warrants support for Kasengele’s exit.

The Emmanuel Mayuka transfer saga from Kabwe Warriors to Israeli side Maccabi Tel Aviv found the secretariat wanting.

Elliot Mhende’s ad-hoc committee recommended that Kasengele, among other officials, as head of Football House takes responsibility for the manner in which the transfer was carried out. Find the report at National Sports Council of Zambia to know why.

After the Mayuka saga came the controversy that surrounded Lusaka Dynamos and Nchanga Rangers. It also involved an irregular transfer of players – Gerald Bwalya and Stephen Sakala from Rangers to Chambishi and their ineligibility to play in the league was established.

This matter was handled by three committees established by FAZ, all of which highlighted Kasengele’s leadership woes at the secretariat.

The Sunday Nkonde-led disciplinary committee ruled in favour of Dynamos but blamed the secretariat for handling cases way after the season had closed.

However, the Chifumu Banda led appeals committee overturned Nkonde’s ruling in favour of Rangers and still blamed the secretariat for inefficiencies.

This led to the formation of the Evaristo Kasunga led tribunal. Again, Kasunga’s committee pointed to the secretariat for the confusion that surrounded the Rangers and Dynamos issue.

If that is not enough, the London fiasco on August 12 last year is a case in consideration. Initially, FAZ president Kalusha Bwalya said there was no one to blame for the debacle. Kasengele attributed ignorance in acquiring visa for UK as the major reason to failing to assemble a full team. As a result, students were used to don national colours.

How do you have an ignorant general secretary in this era? The outing was in shambles forcing the government to call for investigations through the National Sports Council of Zambia ad-hoc committee led by Dr Andrew Shawa.

These committees can’t be accused of being personal for the glaring revelations in as far as the competence of managing the game is concerned.

Before I forget, Kasengele did not remit US $5, 000 meant for Clive Hachilensa’s International Transfer Certificate to FAZ. I have asked this question several times but no response has is forthcoming from Football House.

The money was meant for FAZ coffers but went into an individual’s pocket. What does that amount to?
Add to that the decision by Kasengele to start the league without the consent of a full executive committee in two seasons.

Article 60 (1) of the FAZ constitution states; “the closed season shall be determined by the executive committee.”

The season closed in early December but the executive committee last met in October yet Kasengele has circulated notice that the new season kicks off mid March with the season opening Charity Shield semi-finals set for today.

What does this mean? I hope it helps my good brother Elijah Chileshe of Mining Rangers to understand among the clause/s Kasengele has breached.

Certainly these are sufficient grounds to show Kasengele the front door, not the back door he used to become general secretary.

Yet FAZ president Kalusha Bwalya finds his right-handyman worth the shield. Is Kalusha suggesting that the Nkonde, Chifumu Banda, Kasunga, Mhende and Dr Shawa committees merely had something against Kasengele to establish that the secretariat was mal-functioning?

Not only that. Kasengele has allowed FAZ communications officer Erick Mwanza to work at the secretariat at the same time he is serving K-Stars as club secretary contrary to article 29:1(iii) which states “no FAZ employee shall hold elective office in a member club and/or member association.”

Anyway, I’m sure Kalusha knows why he is shielding Kasengele at the expense of Zambian football.
Typical of Kalusha’s managerial skills or the lack of it. He has created serious divisions among executive committee.

It’s not the first time he is creating this division. In 2005, Kalusha, both as coach and vice president undermined then president Teddy Mulonga when Kasengele was removed as technical committee chairman for Henschel Chitembeya on one of the many occassions.

Allow me to take you into the archives on Kalusha’s reaction following this decision. On November 2, 2005, The Post published a story which, in part, reads; FAZ vice-president Kalusha Bwalya has insisted that Kasengele was still technical committee chairman and will hold the position until after the Africa Cup in January next year.

This is contrary to last Friday's executive committee meeting where a decision was made to replace Kasengele with Henschel Chitembeya. Bwalya was reacting to yesterday's story in The Post where it was reported that Kasengele had been removed from his position and had been replaced by Chitembeya.

He said he was not consulted over the changes that were announced, hence the decision was null and void. "The president (Teddy Mulonga) did not consult with me over that matter and he has no unilateral powers to make such a decision," Bwalya said. Asked whether there were differences in the association since there were contradicting statements on Kasengele's position, Bwalya said: "That is unfortunate because we are supposed to be working as a team.”

Two days later, the then FAZ spokesperson Mwansa Mbulakulima summoned a press briefing and announced that rightly so, the changes were effected at an a executive comittee meeting.

Kalusha attempted to portray Mulonga in bad light deceiving people into believing only him was the angelic administrator.

But even as president, Kalusha continues to thrive on dividing the executive committee.

On Tuesday, Kalusha made a unilateral, to borrow is word from 2005, decision to cancel the executive committee meeting scheduled for February 19 because there was a petition to remove Kasengele for consideration on the agenda. Ask any executive committee member if the decision was collective, the answer is No. Kalusha wants the issue of Kasengele’s removal to ‘cool down’ and cited busy schedules for his solo move. His deputy Emmanuel Munaile was by Wednesday still insisting that the Friday meeting was on.

Most members of the executive were shocked that the meeting had been cancelled without consultation. If it was impossible to tell between white and black when Kalusha was vice president, present events should be sufficient for a functioning eye to identify the colours in question.

Simply put, Mambwe’s petition is a wake-up call that should be supported by well-meaning councillors and football followers.

I can only advise the likes of Mambwe, Keith Mwewa and others to remain steadfast, tread carefully and stand their ground considering that they are dealing with a sophisticated cartel.

To Kalusha, reflect on why the people who vigorously toured the country to garner lower division support for you have suddenly changed. There is no harm in acknowledging the mistake and taking adequate measures in the interest of the bigger picture, not individual interest.

Sadly, limitation of space does not permit me to discuss the issue further but if there is anymore doubt about which clause has been breached, let’s meet at Full Time. Some of the issues may go as far as attracting the law enforcement agencies on Football House staff and officials.
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