KAZABU’S PLEA
…Avoid personal vendettas in FAZ tiffs
VETERAN soccer administrator Luxon Kazabu has pleaded with whoever has a personal vendetta with the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) to find a better way of settling scores than risking the country of a FIFA suspension.
And Kazabu said the investigative wings which include the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) are playing double-standards in the way they are handling FAZ cases.
In an interview, the FAZ life member said the recent raid conducted by DEC at Football House is equal to government interference.
He said DEC would have found a better way of investigating general secretary Adrian Kashala than going to raid FAZ offices purporting to search for drugs and other necrotic substances.
“FIFA has its own regulations, own practices, but the one that comes out clearly is their dislike for any apparent interference from government. They don’t take kindly with such kind of situation,”
“DEC is a government institution so in the eyes of FIFA, it will appear as if the government is interfering in football. That could have serious repercussions. Those of us that have been there have tried to advsce, that we cannot risk the country being suspended by FIFA because we are doing things that are considered as interference,” he said.
He said such events had tarnished the image of the game both locally and globally.
Kazabu said those aggrieved with FAZ should look at other ways of resolving their issues without putting the sport of Football into disrupt.
“The standing of our football has been badly battered by the recent events. And really it is very unfortunate we have to witness the kind of events that are unfolding.
I am wondering that whoever has issues with FAZ could not have found a better way of dealing with whatever they’ve seen as a problem, But going there to raid the FAZ offices is unfortunate,” he said.
Kazabu however wondered how DEC was so quick to raid Football House but yet to give a conclusion or findings into the match-fixing scandal involving former FAZ vice-president Boniface Mwemelo which they have been investigating since last year.
Last year, former Sports minister Moses Mawere in his ministerial statement said DEC, Anti-Corruption Commission and Office of the President had been engaged to investigate the matter.
“Points to double standards being applied, and don’t know for what reason. How can this other case have been with us for sometime and we don’t know what progress has been made and yet they are quick at going to the FAZ offices to paralyse the running of that institution. It can’t be right,” he said.
He lamented that the football family have paid a deaf ear to the advice from veteran administrators like him that they have continually preached until what they fear would happen comes to pass (Zambia’s suspension).
DEC last Thursday raided Football House and confiscated computers from Kashala’s office.
DEC said they were investigating Kashala for obtaining pecuniary advantage and money laundering.