Zambian Whistleblower (ZWB).
THE TRUTH STARTS COMING OUT ON KEITH MWEEMBA’S ALLEGED OFFER OF BRIBE TO ANDREW KAMANGA
At least now Zambians are close to knowing the truth about issues which have caused the chaos surrounding elections for President of the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) due this monthend.
According to an article by Kennedy Gondwe, the fact that Vice President Mutale Nalumango snubbed an invitation to attend an event organised by Andrew Kamanga as FAZ President, which was recently attended by Presidents of several football associations in Africa, is a sign that the state is not canvassing support for Andrew Kamanga’s bid for a seat on the FIFA Council, whose elections are due very shortly.
The article also observes the total absence of any lobbying activities on behalf of Andrew Kamanga by Sports and Youth Minister Elvis Nkandu, and Foreign Affairs Minister Mulambo Haimbe, confirmation of sour relations between Andrew Kamanga, a citizen standing to represent Zambia on the FIFA Council, and the Zambian government.
So, why is the United Party for National Development (UPND) government of Outgoing Dictator Hakainde Hichilema, not lobbying for Kamanga to win a seat on the FIFA Council?
The answer can be found in the letter which Andrew Kamanga has written to FIFA, for Football governing body to investigate a report that one of his opponents for the contest for President of FAZ, Keith Mweemba, offered to mobilise government support for Kamanga’s bid for a FIFA council seat, if he withdrew from the race for the FAZ top job.
In his letter to FIFA, Andrew Kamanga has detailed contacts made to him, including the offer by Keith Mweemba, that if he pulled out the race for FAZ President, he (Keith Mweemba), would take him straight to Community House (the private official residency of Outgoing Dictator Hichilema), to secure government support for the FIFA Council seat.
Here is what we know now. The reason the government of Zambia is not supporting Andrew Kamanga for that seat is because he refused to withdraw from the race for FAZ President, which is the condition he was presented. FIFA should certainly have something to say about that, especially emerging from its own well documented troubles with the culture of bribery during elections and picking tournament venues.
Strangely, this refusal by the government to offer its support to a citizen in an international contest is somehow being portrayed as Kamanga’s fault, which is not only unfair but dishonest. Kamanga is entering the contest without the support of his government because he refused to be bribed. And the government has taken this position in spite of Andrew Kamanga’s undeniable record of achievements as FAZ President(as shown in the chart oublished with this story).
And to project the view that the UPND government’s recent record shows it supports its citizens for international jobs, the cases of Mubita Nawa ( failed bid for Interpol Secretary General) and Gilbert Maimbo gunning for the African Development Bank top job, have been used.
But this is half the truth. What these two cases prove is actually the observation by many that this government is doing its utmost to fulfil its agenda of filling plush positions, both within Zambia and abroad, with individuals from provinces of the Zambezi region.
Nawa is from Western Province and Maimbo is from Southern Province. In fact, Nawa was supported while the government was trying hard to suppress his poor policing record, which his international competitors pounced on and ensured he lost miserably.
Even in the case of the race for FAZ President, the government is pushing its agenda to fill the position of FAZ President with their preferred “regionally-correct” candidate, while working hard to suppress the allegations of bribery against him. So the Nawa and Maimbo cases provide unintended proof of the government’s bad intentions, even when choosing who to support dor international positions.
What about the insinuation that Kamanga is not recognised by the government as FAZ President?
Well, Andrew Kamanga’s second tenure as FAZ President is effectively over, which is why he has launched his campaign to be re-elected. The worthless declarations of non recognition after 28th February, 2025, by Chief Executive Officer of National Sports Council of Zambia, Sombwa Musunsa, himself proceeding from a dubious mandate without a backing NSCZ Executive Council, are best ignored.
Sports Ministet Elvis Nkandu, the architect of the anti-Kamanga crusade has never recovered from when Andrew contested against his (Nkandu’s) idol, Kalusha Bwalya for the same position and he (Nkandu) was campaign manager.
And then there is this application of very UPND-like logic. That one of Andrew Kamanga’s committees made a futile attempt to disqualify the other candidates. These are cheap shots. For example, when the Patriotic Front government arrested Hakainde Hichilema, the UPND cried out that “Edgar Lungu has arrested HH”. When Edgar Lungu is harassed by State agents, the UPND cry out “HH is not involved in ACC or police actions”.
Hence we call it UPND-like logic when the actions of a legally constituted committee of FAZ is portrayed as ‘Kamanga’s committee”.
Are we not justified to question the motive? The same thing goes for all these repeated references to Kamanga’s passports, which everyone knows were in the custody of the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) at the time false reports of money laundering were made. On record, that complaint was withdrawn, and the timing of the release of the passports must be merely a matter of procedure. But there is convenient persistent portrayal that this matter is on-going, meant to smear Andrew Kamanga’s reputation and diminish his chances in both contests.
The Zambian Whistleblower is watching this case very closely for two reasons. The first one is to ensure the Zambian public does not lose sight of what is being perpetrated as an evil agenda of tribalism and regionalism when filling key positions in government, the civil service, defence and security sercices, state commissions, parastatals, and now sports.
Secondly, because the government has total control of state media, and has gained influence over much of what used to be independent private media outlets, the ZWB is committed to ensuring the public gets another view of important national developments. Especially when the government is peddling lies to its citizens.
Ultimately, both the FIFA Council and FAZ elections for President will be decided by their respective electoral colleges.
Our hope is that those casting their votes, will do so according to their conscience.
John 8:32 “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
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