By NDINAWE SIMPELWE
THE Southern Province Amateur Boxing Association (SPABA) has denied reconciling with the Zambia Amateur Boxing Federation (ZBF) executive.
ZABF president Thomas Chileshe earlier this week said the wrangles in the sport had been resolved and all aggrieved parties had agreed to work with the executive.
Midlands Amateur Boxing Federations (MABA), Copperbelt Amateur Boxing Association (MABA) and SPABA had all asked Chileshe to step down after allegations of corruption against him emerged late last year.
But Chileshe claimed that sanity had returned to the sport after reconciling with the aggrieved parties, adding that even MABA, who had refused to release boxers to the national team, had done so.
However, SPABA chairperson Philemon Musonda angrily refuted the claims saying whoever has reconciled with the Chileshe led executive was a beneficiary of the alleged corrupt activities.
Musonda said Chileshe had not cleared the allegations hence he could not reconcile with the affiliates.
“Who has he reconciled with? We don’t know anything about that here in Southern Province. I haven’t been communicated to on that matter. What we are waiting for is for that meeting where we have to go and choose another president. I think that is what is there,” Musonda said.
“So that issue of saying we have reconciled is not there. How can they say we have reconciled when the allegations have not been cleared. You see, corruption is a dangerous thing.
“So if someone is accused of corruption there is need to prove if it is true before you work with that person. ZABF is not a federation for an individual; it’s supposed to look after boxing in the country,” he said.
When contacted, MABA said they will issue a comprehensive statement but denied ever burying the hatchet with the ZABF executive.
Chileshe was accused of demanding for K400 from each boxer and official who had travelled to the All Africa Games in Congo Brazzaville as refund for using his funds when he bought tickets for boxers who went for a tournament in Congo DR.
Chileshe’s reign as ZABF president has been engulfed in wrangles and fighting with affiliates and he has not yet stated whether he will seek re-election at the next AGM should he be cleared of the allegations.