As Zambia prepare to face Cape Verde under very harsh circumstances this evening, it should not be time for whoever is responsible for this delayed departure fiasco to go scot free.
Officials engaged to plan, plot and organise the charter flight should not be let off the hook even before the match has kicked off.
The dust should not be left for them to settle over this disaster and the incompetent culprit(s) should not be allowed to watch the game on their cosy sofas or bar and brag about inglorious part in this act.
It must be dealt with swiftly now while the iron is still hot.
It is almost treasonable for someone to even think that is an acceptable operational hiccup.
It is a straight forward case that does not require us to endure another a mineral water table-filled commission of inquiry.
Money was released in time we are told for a plane to be sourced but what was the guy or guys ordered to find the aircraft doing all of last week?
Sad to say but Zambia has endured endless travel conundrums over the years, one fatal and families are still baying for the fall guy.
Since then, one can only be reminded of the Motel 6 scandal in Florida in 1999 after an away friendly against Honduras and in November 2008 the team had a transit nightmare in Amsterdam after facing Morocco in a friendly away in Rabat.
A year later, there was a UK visa scandal for the Ghana friendly in London and then in September, 2013 we had the 2014 FIFA World Cup trip to Kumasi that was delayed for 48 hours and saw the team fly to Ghana on the eve of the game from their Johannesburg training base.
A month later, there was an ill-handled club versus country standoff with TP Mazembe over the release of Rainford Kalaba, Stopilla Sunzu and Nathan Sinkala for the Brazil friendly.
It is finally time to make an example of someone or some people because everyone is very tired of the litany of logistical failures.
If no justice is dispensed over this latest fiasco then we truly do not value our 2012 champions and taking them for a big ride.
What wrote that article? Is all those incidences be blamed on Kalu?
The conclusion is that things happens when traveling as a team, or even as an individual. Unless you never been traveling that often.
Is Zambia not independent to own aircrafts. Why depending on SA even in medical field. Zambia must own a piller of europlanes, buses, train and all essential things needed by its people.
I have read carefully and the article has not assigned any blame. But you have correctly done so.
Zambians are generally very docile people. they love knee-jerk reactions and once you throw a few sweets in their faces all will be fine.
when are we going to start being proactive?
Look at our dirty and filthy cities and towns….. who are responsible for keeping these places clean?…investors?
wake up and smell the coffee!!
Is there any where in the article where Kalu has been mentioned?
First and foremost, nowhere in the article is Kalu mentioned, and just because you travel poorly doesn’t mean we all should! The authorities were aware of this fixture way back, much earlier than the time we played Mozambique! There’s the small thing they call planning? Who’s responsible for this fiasco? Heads should definitely roll here! Or do we want another “Gabon Disaster”? Why should you excuse such ineptitude? Why should we accept such incompetence? If the FAZ officials could get to Cape Verde in time, why shouldn’t the players? After all, they are the main “players” in this whole set up? Come on people, let’s not accept such mediocrity!
It is crazy that as a nation we have condoned this nonsense. But then again we have condoned a bunch of maggots in the name of pf govt. Whether it’s Kalu or the entire FAZ executive, heads should roll, bottom line. Entire country needs to be closed for renovations, ja, i said it!
I wish our President was a soccer fan: he could have released the Presidential Jet and saved us a lot of money.
The problem is with the person Zambians have trusted so much in the running of football. I believe he was still trying to get a cut from the charter company. Kick back pa zed yali chilamo
Why did they not use the Challenger? It was bought from taxpayers’s money. That thing could have just zoomed in a few hours, dropped the players and officials and come back. PF and HEMCS would have scored a first. Why do we revere politicians so much when all they do is treat us as though they are the ones who elected us to be citizens? What is so sacred about that plane? After all President Kaunda used to share Zambia Airways planes with passengers while RB used to share that old blue MA60 ZAF plane with ZAF personnel. He never lost anything.
Anyway, for the first time the soccer team has received the treatment other sportsmen and women experience – total negligence. Imagine being on a bus from Lusaka to Nairobi to go an “represent” Zambia? We can be a funny lot.
Good suggestion mate, the problem is that Challenger plane 604 which is used by MCS can carry up to 19 passengers, and a football team is made up of about 22 players plus coach and team doctor, and a couple of scroungers like Kasengele looking for allowances. I wish we could take the players by plane and the rest can hitchhike on camels or donkeys, probably they can begin their journeys a year early.
When you say zoom in; are you refering to speed or what? An Airbus 300 has almost the same cruising speed as a Challenger. Its just the departure time that we don’t plan for even when going to work in Zambia. Poor time keeping indeed!
I am equally annoyed with the happenings.But what is treason????????
I TOTALLY AGREE WITH THIS ARTICLE.
Enough is Enough!! There is NO EXCUSE for the Silly shambles that have AGAIN befallen our National Team.
1. These game fixtures were announced ages ago, so what were the responsible parties doing all the while?
2. This is NOT the first time such Cr*p has happened, it is now a pattern, & this is the reason most African Nations are Failed Basket Cases, because mediocrity is always embraced as the Norm. Imagine such rubbish happening to The German or Spanish National Team? Never hence they Win.
3. This fixture is now a Gamble, the Boys will NOT be mentally or physically fit for the game, a recipe for failure. Has anyone wondered if those responsible belong to betting syndicates & have interests in Zambia failing
KUYABEBELE!!
I am of the understanding that under FAZ there is an arm that coordinates travel arrangements. These are the ones to take to task. It is an unacceptable oversight! Don’t blame Kambilili or Kalu, I don’t think they would be involved in the nitty-gritty of putting together a tour. Private flight companies will not take off without prepaying or guaranteed assurance of payment. Credit facilities melted the world only a few years ago! And this is one the reasons why Zambia should not own a national airline, it is a recipe for political abuse.
How difficult is it to book A Flight?
I used to do it & travel without hitch as a Young Boy.
What’s happening here is due to 2 possible scenarios.
1. We believe Racists, who say Black Africans are Not capable or running anything, unless involving, Drinking, Dancing, & Sex. I DON’T agree with this one as Many Black African nations Don’t have these problems.
2. Sheer Laziness & Corruption. This is more the case. Had this involved flying to receive a Corrupt payment, or extra- marital sex, these Clowns would have booked on time.
I suspect whoever held the payment cheques, was delaying so he can be given a kickback for using a particular Charter firm, willing to oil.
This has been a recurring problem, hence I Agree with Jay Jay – Fire them All, from the Top!!!
Responsibility in any institution lies with the overall boss. If something big goes wrong the boss has to take responsibility, just like when the juniors do their work properly and produce good results the credit goes to the boss. You can not therefore exclude Kalu from the firing line. He shouldnt even have been a president for FAZ. The chap was just good at playing soccer in his days and nothing else. Kambwili should also take the crap as an over sight manager for allowing such mediocrity to happen. Fire both.
This was a well planned fiasco. The plane was chartered therefore it could not go earlier to Cape Verde and wait for long hours on the tarmac. This was going to attract astronomical costs. The organisers could also not reveal the plot to Zambians because they would be blamed for such an arrangement. Therefore to counter all this, they told the plane to arrive in Zambia at 19:00hrs, leave at 21:00hrs, arrive few hours before kick off, play the game and immediately leave for Zambia. This way you reduce the cost, you shift the blame for the loss to the travel problems and make gullible Zambians sympathetic to your situation, and life goes on. Simple and straight forward!
Bring back Simata Simata in FAZ. He is a better administrator compared to the player of yester year. Simata has financial literacy, management skills, soccer management.
The little man could only do free kicks.
I agree with the article, its like our systems are BAD. Its about time we made things better.Let authorities investigate and advise the on the outcome, we equally pay tax.No one is above the law.
What, if anything, ever works in Zambia? If even running water is a luxury in an average Zambian household, how much more a chartered plane from S. Africa!
Why doesnt any one want to talk about the 2-0 loss to capevade
Sorry 2-1 loss, anyway it doenst make any differency. You are out and not going anywhere.
Who wrote this article? Field Ruwe? JJ? Benedicto Tembo? I’m just curious
Apa pena ni Kabwili fye eka. He made the commitment 2 chatter a plane when their was no money. He is not new 2 that. He has even the guts to call those who complain ati lunatics. Its understood, ishilu lita aba tuntulu ati ama shilu. He will join Kabimba ku farm soon.
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