By MOSES CHIMFWEMBE –
FORMER Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) executive committee member Henschel Chitembeya says it would be selfish to restrict which people can contest the presidency.

. Chitembeya

Chitembeya said the proposal by Nchanga Rangers and Afrisports to amend the constitution restricting the position of president to only former executive members would be an act of selfishness.
With the annual general meeting set for Mulungushi Rock of Authority in Kabwe this Saturday, Rangers and Afrisport have proposed that only a person who has previously served as either FAZ vice president, treasurer or committee member should be eligible to contest the presidency.
But Chitembeya said in an interview in Ndola yesterday that the proposal is targeted at disadvantaging club officials who have ambitions to contest the position of FAZ president.
He said the current constitutional provision that requires an individual eyeing the FAZ top job to have served for five years at club level, is restrictive enough to protect the association from outside invasion.
“If someone qualifies to vote at the FAZ elections, why shouldn’t they qualify to contest for the position of president? It’s the most inane proposal and it should not be entertained because today, people want to restrict the FAZ presidency, tomorrow they will be proposing salaries for all executive members,” Chitembeya  said.
Chitembeya also opposed Rangers’ proposal to introduce nomination fees for candidates with that of president pegged at K25,000, K20,000 for the vice president and K15,000 and K10,000 for the treasurer and committee members respectively.
“It’s abhorrent to propose for the introduction of high nomination fees. Are they saying only the rich should serve in the executive…? What we need is a limit to the terms of office in FAZ and this is what people should be proposing unlike things that won’t take football anywhere,” he said.
Chitembeya said the two proposals should not be tabled before the council meeting this weekend because they do not meet the constitutional requirement.
“Things should be done according to the FAZ constitution and no one should be above the statutes in the running of football. The constitution clearly states that any proposal that is circulated for inclusion on the agenda should be given to all members at least 45 days before the meeting and looking at these proposals, they have fallen short of that requirement.
Tabling these two matters at the AGM will be in total disregard of the constitution and as far as I am concerned, the proposals are as per constitution not eligible for discussion,” he said.
Meanwhile, football administrator Alex Mambwe, who likened the proposal on the eligibility of FAZ president to that of a monarchy system of governance, called on Rangers president Blackwell Siwale to withdraw the two proposals as they are retrogressive to the development of football.
Mambwe said in a separate interview that there are capable leaders outside the FAZ executive committee, who have the potential to serve diligently.
He said it will be unfortunate if the proposals are adopted on the agenda during the AGM because they lack constitutional merit.
“Those currently serving in FAZ and past executives are not the only ones with brains to serve the country’s football. If the likes of Tom Mtine, Evaristo Kasunga and Teddy Mulonga (Past presidents) were selfish enough to adopt such a proposal, the current officials wouldn’t have been there today,” Mambwe said.