By SANDRA MWILA –

THE Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) has suspended three secretariat staff from the accounts department in connection to leaking of financial documents as the association is engulfed by mistrust.
FAZ has been under fire after documents emerged of the executive awarding themselves a total of K805,000 for the 2017 Under 20 Africa Cup of Nations(Afcon).
Other documents shows a sum of $38,000 paid to FAZ presidents company Enfin Solutions Limited.
FAZ yesterday suspended accountant staff Sam Phiri, Joshua Mwale and Chilambe Chansa in connection with the leaked documents.
An effort to get an official position from association proved futile despite a press conference held yesterday at Football House that ended in bizarre fashion as journalists were not allowed to ask questions general secretary Ponga Liwewe in the company of vice president Rix Mweemba.
Liwewe said that the association has noted with concern the involvement of expelled members in the distribution of the documents.
“Mr Kazala is still due to appear before the FAZ Council to respond on charges levelled against him relating to abuse of office and misuse of funds amounting to K150,000. It is clear that these machinations are an attempt to divert attention from his pending matter,” Liwewe said.
Liwewe stated that FAZ remained available to clear the air over these matters and will fully cooperate with any organ of the law if required to provide further clarity.
“FAZ will be taking remedial action at the secretariat to prevent any further such breaches of confidentiality that the staff is bound by. Those found to have participated in such breach will face the full course of the law and internal disciplinary action will also be taken,” Liwewe said.
Liwewe said FAZ understands clearly the difference between whistle blowing and attempts to destabilize the smooth running of the organization.
On the executive allowances Liwewe said the executive and staff members were part of the Under 20 local organizing committee and covered a period of five months
“ During this period(Afcon) the FAZ Executive Committee members were actively involved in running the eleven committees that were set up for the purpose of managing the event. Their involvement was on a day-to-day basis and required full-time commitment to the preparation for the tournament,” Liwewe said.
He gave a breakdown of FAZ structure of remuneration for committee members from sitting allowances and daily allowances for the president, vice president and  executive members that range from K2,000, K1,500 and K1,000 respectively.
Lunch allowance is pegged at  K300 per day for all members, K600 to K1,200 fuel refund and are entitled to K2,000 accommodation allowances.
He said this structure was adopted strictly for this five-month period as the method of payment. Had the traditional method of payment been followed during the same period, it could have been K2.56 million compared to K805, 000 which was paid for only 30 days as opposed to 150 days.
Liwewe said despite the committee members working tirelessly between November 2016 and March 2017, no payment was made until funds were available in November 2017.
“The amounts paid were standard daily allowances except they were paid in one lump sum six months after the end of the tournament,” Liwewe said.
On the Enfin refunds Liwewe stated that FAZ usually turned to President Andrew Kamanga for short-term financial assistance during emergencies.
“Suffice to mention that this support has been rendered at no extra cost to the association especially that the financial position of the association was too weak to even support normal overdraft from our banking partners,” he said.
He said Kamanga through his company, made it possible for the Under 17 national team to meet its obligations at the COSAFA tournament in Mauritius by assisting with the purchase of air tickets valued at $11,000 which was  later refunded when funds became available at no additional cost to FAZ.
“The company also assisted with the purchase of playing kits for division two and three clubs at the end of March 2017 and was only refunded in May 2017, two months later with no interest charged. This is the basis of the $38,000 refund approved in one of the leaked documents,” Liwewe said
He said in January 2018 when the team was due to travel to Morocco for the CHAN 2018 tournament when delays in procurement for tickets by the sponsor almost derailed the team’s travel plans,the President’s company rescued the situation.
“A total sum of $25,000 was paid towards the travel costs, and the same was refunded at the end of January 2018,” Liwewe said.
He further said  that FAZ  had briefed the Ministry of Sport  and have since rendered a detailed report and will in due course also inform CAF and FIFA accordingly.