Yes, the guessing is finally over – tenacious Andrew Kamanga is the new Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) president, replacing 1988 Africa Footballer-of-the-Year Kalusha Bwalya whom he defeated at last weekend’s elective Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Kitwe.
And what can anyone say except to join President Edgar Lungu and former president Rupiah Banda in congratulating Kamanga for his election victory and cautioning him that the onus of taking Zambian football to the next level is on him, as the new broom at Football House.
Taking over from legendary ‘Kalu’ – a man with an outstanding soccer career not only at home but also in Europe and Latin America (Mexico) – Kamanga, with no known playing record to his credit, will have to go an extra mile to prove his mettle as FAZ president.
Most people will agree that Bwalya has raised the bar very high for his successors and other football administrators in the sense that under his leadership, Zambia won its maiden Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 2012 after beating pre-tournament favourites, Ivory Coast.
And from what I can remember, for the first time since independence many Zambians are now ‘very proud’ to be associated with their National Team as evidenced by the numerous fans one sees everywhere dressed in Chipolopolo replica jerseys, which have literally become part of our national dress, too.
Selling and even manufacturing (legally or illegally) of replica jerseys have become big business, which is why they have/had become a controversial if not hot election issue.
Sponsorship is another area that the Kalusha Bwalya administration can be said to have done exceedingly well. Live television coverage of FAZ Premier League and Cup matches on South Africa’s pay channel SuperSport, for example, was previously unheard of. But now Zambians who can not afford transport to various towns and cities to watch their favourite teams in action at venues like Lusaka’s Heroes and Ndola’s Mwanawasa stadiums are now happy to follow the proceedings on television from the comforts of their homes.
To most young players in the country, the magical ‘Kalu’ was what the ‘peerless’ Pele was to Brazil. Every upcoming football player in Kalabo, Luwingu, Katete, Choma, Chingola or Nakonde wanted to become a Kalusha Bwalya or play like the dribbling left-footed soccer wizard. He was a role model par excellence. That is Kalu’s enduring legacy.
In our days in Mufulira – and on the Copperbelt in general, I must say – our role model was Samuel ‘Zoom’ Ndhlovu. Everyone wanted to copy or emulate the articulate Mufulira Wanderers skipper who went to captain and coach the Zambia National XI.
Of course, I do realise the fact that in every town, fans had their own heroes like Freddie Mwila and Henry Kalimukwa (Rhokana United); Emment Kapengwe and Moses Kabaila (Kitwe United); Patrick Swene Amato ‘the Devil’ everyone liked; and Charles Phiri (Ndola United); Willie Chifita and Ginger Pensulo (Roan United); Howard Mwikuta and Dyson Mugala (Broken Hill Warriors); Jack Sewell and ‘Big’ Juma Chipeta (City of Lusaka) and many others.
These are some of the heroes whose presence on the field made soccer the country’s most popular sport and consequently drew huge crowds to stadiums across the country. They also helped unite Zambia into a nation that it is today because players selected to the national team in particular were loved simply because of what they were – national team players – regardless of tribe and place of origin. All were valliant; we adored them.
In fact, some die-hard supporters on the Copperbelt and Midlands in particular would even go to the extent of boycotting any match if their ‘favourite’ players were not picked by National Selectors while those called up played like wounded buffaloes for mother Zambia. But unfortunately until ‘Kalu’ and his ‘wisemen’ broke the jinx in 2012, AFCON (and the World Cup) honours continued to elude Zambia.
Now that baton has been handed over to him, Kamanga cannot afford to sit on his laurels but must instead get set and sprint like an Olympic athlete with eyes firmly fixed on taking Zambia relay-team to the Gabon AFCON in West Africa and Russia World Cup finals in two years time.
It is for this reason that I believe Zambia’s 1-1 draw with visiting Congo-Brazzaville in the 2017 Gabon AFCON Group E encounter is regrettable for two reasons. First, it puts the Chipolopolo boys at a tremendous disadvantage; and secondly, it may prove a bad omen for Kamanga’s reign as the new FAZ chief.
I say this because away games are not easy to win as the home team often leaves no stone unturned to ensure victory in the return match. Stories of ill treatment of visiting sides and match officials being bribed in Africa abound.
But with a good and disciplined side coupled with sound administration and preparations, Kamanga and his cabinet have every chance to snatch victory that eluded them i at Ndola’s Levy Mwanawasa Stadium last Wednesday night. So the nation’s expectations are very high and can be expected to remain so for a long time to come.
In his acceptance speech, Kamanga, who finally ‘wrestled’ the FAZ post from Bwalya after twice failing to do so with 163 votes, deserves special commendation for his display of magnanimity.
He openly declared that he and his administration would not use their March 19, 2016 Moba Hotel victory to exert revenge on their vanquished ‘rivals’.
“We shall not use this victory to turn our heroes, especially our icon Kalusha Bwalya into a villain. What we are promising you here is that we are here to uphold and promote the FAZ constitution, FIFA regulations, and most of all, respect the law of the land, Zambia,” Kamanga said, adding that he would introduce reforms to take the beautiful game in Zambia to another level.
I say well done ‘Andie’ the nation, Africa and entire world soccer community will be keenly watching every step that you take from now onwards.
I believe you too, will no doubt profit from the advice ex-FIFA president Sepp Blatter recently had for his successor, the 45-year-old ex-UEFA secretary general, Giani Infantino.
Blatter told Infantino (and the world community would be utterly shocked if he were to turn out to be an infant at global football administration) that being at the helm as FIFA president would be no easy task.
He said, “I congratulate you, but remember however that this position you wanted will not be easy. Miracles will be expected. Prepare yourself well but be vigilant. While everyone supports you and tells you nice words, know that once you are the president, friends become rare.”
There you have it, Andrew Kamanga. The ball is now squarely in your court. The nation expects you to deliver.
All would agree that every generation produces its own heroes – and so one of the Kamanga administration’s biggest challenges of their four-year tenure will be to groom new ones to replace stars like former Chipolopolo AFCON winning captain Christopher Katongo and his successor Rainford Kalaba who will sooner than later be hanging up their shooting boots due to old age.
Finally, I would like to pay tribute to the late Zambia Under-20 head coach Wesley Mondo who died at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) in Lusaka.
While in Botswana as an expatriate coach Mondo coached Nico United, a Premier League side, which is sponsored by mining giants, BCL, of Selebi-Phikwe, some 350km from Gaborone, the Botswana capital. I never had a chance to meet with him but his name was a regular feature in most of the local newspapers, radio and television commentaries. He was a respected trainer.
Mondo had followed in the footsteps of former Zambia Schools XI, Mufulira Wanderers and national team luminary, Ackim Musenge who had coached Nico United in the early 1980s.