The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) has clarified a number of issues concerning recent in-house leakage of financial documents in the aftermath of the 2018 Annual General Meeting (AGM).
FAZ has been on the receiving end of a barrage of attacks based on the documents forcing the association to set the record straight.
FAZ General Secretary Pasipononga Liwewe flanked by vice president Rix Mweemba and Communications Manager Desmond Katongo addressed a media briefing at Football House.
APRIL 3rd 2018
MEDIA BRIEFING ON FAZ DOCUMENTS CIRCULATING ON SOCIAL MEDIA
I wish to advise that following the illegal circulation of financial documents relating to the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) activities, it has become necessary to clarify some of the assertions circulating prominently on social media platforms.
The documents that have been circulated make up part of the audited accounts that were approved by the FAZ Council in the meeting of 31 March, 2018.
Constitutional Authority
Article 35(a) gives the Executive Committee power to pass all decisions that do not come under the sphere of responsibility of the council or are not reserved for other bodies by the law or under these statutes.
Article 35 (d) may decide to set up ad-hoc committees if necessary at any time. Article 35(e) shall compile the regulations for the organization of standing committees and ad-hoc committees.
Article 35(m) may delegate tasks arising out of its area of authority to other bodies of FAZ or third parties.
These clauses allow the Executive committee to make decisions as stated in Article 36(a) that elaborates on decision making powers of the executive committee
36(1) The Executive committee shall not engage in valid deliberations unless a majority (more than 50%) of its members are present.
1. EXCO Allowances
The FAZ Executive Committee members and staff members were part of the U20 Local Organising Committee. The LOC included officials from various government ministries. for the U20 Africa cup hosted by Zambia between 26 February and 12th March 2017. The allowances relating to the U20 Africa Cup of Nations under FAZ and the Local Organizing Committee cover a period of 5-months. During this period 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.
The current FAZ structure remunerates committee members sitting allowances for meetings as follows:
• Sitting/Daily Allowances- Exco Members K1,000 (K1500 Veep), K2,000 (President)
• Lunch allowance K300/day for all members
• Fuel refund from K600 to K1200
• Accommodation outside Lusaka K2,000 per day and vice versa for those travelling to Lusaka
This structure has been adopted strictly for this 5-month period as the method of payment for work done during this period. Had the traditional method of payment been followed during the same period, the amount would have been K2.56 million compared to K805,000 which was paid for only 30 days as opposed to 150 days. This reduced the payment due to each committee member as per circulated figures now in the public domain.
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.
An amount equivalent to one-months pay was earmarked for Secretariat staff for their contribution to the LOC for the success of the U20 Africa cup of nations hosting as opposed to payment of their entitlement of servicing and other allowances.
2. U20 Players allowances
The allowances for the U20 national team were paid after the team won the Africa Cup of Nations and prior to the team’s departure for the World Cup in Korea.
Each player received the sum of $3,300 for winning Africa Cup after considerations by the Executive Committee and despite payments to the teams strictly forbidden by CAF and FIFA statutes as these tournaments are deemed development. This was viewed as an exception especially that CAF offered a prize money of US$250,000 for winning the cup. No bonus was paid for the U20 FIFA World Cup as there was no prize money in the competition.
FIFA paid each player the sum of $100 each for the duration of the tournament. The FAZ President, in his individual capacity, also paid each player and the technical team $100 as gratification for their performance in the tournament.
3. KoPa Replicas and Kit
A sum of $80,000 was paid to the KoPa Kit manufacturer and to date $50,000 amount of replicas and $30,000 worth of playing kit has been received. This kit was used by the senior national team during the recently played CHAN tournament in Morocco.
4. Refunds to ENFIN SOLUTIONS Limited
The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) wishes to advise that during the course of its operations the association has turned to the FAZ President Mr. 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.
The President through his company, made it possible for the U17 national team to meet its obligations at the COSAFA tournament in Mauritius by assisting with the purchase of air tickets valued at $11,000. This amount 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.
This was also the case 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.
5. National team Ghana costs
There is also a payment of K30,000 to the FAZ General Secretary, Mr Pasipononga Liwewe, for Ghana hotel costs during the team’s stopover on the way to Nigeria for a World Cup qualifying match. This was necessitated again by the delay in funding by the sponsor. The General Secretary availed his debit card to the team manager at the airport when the funds did not materialize, and a deposit was made into the account which the team manager used to make hotel payments in Accra. All payments are backed by documentation.
6. Leaks of documentation
We note with concern involvement of expelled members of the Executive Committee in the distribution of these 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.
The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) remains available to clear the air over these and other 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. FAZ clearly understands the difference between whistleblowing and attempts to destabilize the smooth running of the organization.
Further we wish to advise that we have briefed the ministry of Youth, Sport and Child Development and have since rendered a detailed report. we will in due course also inform CAF and FIFA accordingly.
This concludes our press briefing
Source: FAZ Media
Pomga run away…. why you still around?
You will not fix it now, this is the fall of FAZ.
FAZ made one mistake that of not reporting Kazala to the police for theft by public servant. Kazala stole, anaba aliketula.
Now he looks like a hero bull sh!t
No issue here. FAZ is okay. Please don’t pay attention to detractors. Utwakufwaya fwaya utwaupuba fye
@Carlos I agree.
Mow focus has changed from the ZMK150,000.00 TO the EXCO allowances.
proper distraction!
FAKE NEWS according to one Donald Trump!
Ponga was a full-time employee of FAZ, why was he also paid those allowances if that is your argument?
Who says an employee should not get allowances?
Andrew Kamanga told the world that Great Kalu is corrupt and that once voted,he will seriously fight corruption at FAZ.but see now?WHO IS CORRUPT BETWEEN ANDREW KAMANGA AND KALUSHA BWALYA?its off course Andrew Kamanga.this Kamanga thing was even boasting that he is rich,so he can be working as FAZ president minus any payments!!IS THAT TRUE?SEE FOR YOURSELVES!!
Am sure this is the same with HH and GBM!!!they promise heaven on earth,WHEN THE OPPOSITE COULD BE THE REALITY IF WE MAKE A MISTAKE OF VOTING FOR THEM!!
Corrupt Andrew Kamanga must resign as FAZ president forthwith!!
I hope government doesn’t give FAZ budget support. Let them work hard at make the money through football itself.
Allowance for doing your job is daylight robbery
@JC. that is a big problem nowadays pa zed. The problem starts from CSO to GRZ and everyone in-between. FAZ could have avoided this by proactively providing information on U20 AFCON finances. Double Simaata has reported them to ACC. Ponga’s resignation now seems suspicious.
Milandu izo milandu izo.Ba Kamanga if you have 4ucked up and it does appear that you have very few will feel sorry for you sir after the way you vilified the Great Kalu.
Bapompwe why do you want to run before this issue is sorted out. k2ooo for accommodation everyday? Where were they sleeping when they stay in Lsk? An audit must be done forthwith, why would a person use his money to assist an Institution like FAZ and later reclaim? There is conflict of interest here and all these dollars were paid back? ACC and auditor general move in now.
FAZ was a respectable organisation in the 70s when it was run by Tom Mtine, a wealthy businessman. Now, it is just a den of thieves. They want to earn European style wages from a third world organisation, while they go to the tax payers for assistance.
Yes some of these allowances are too high for doing your own job….no wounder FAZ is broke….on top of that you have SUV allowance as my friend 2020vision will say….
1.Who sanctioned FAZ to be borrowing money from FAZ President, Andrew Kamanga’s Company?
2.Did Andrew Kamanga, FAZ President, declare interest to be FAZ Financier?
3.Was the Sports Council of Zambia made aware of this slick dealing?
4.Was Minister of Sport made aware of this arrangement?
5.Was this ‘Deal’ tabled by Government, Cabinet, who are the main Sponsors of FAZ?
6.Why was the deal kept as secret from the Affiliates, football Clubs in Zambia, Sponsors and the general
public?
The above questions must be answered by FAZ in the affirmative. Anything else is theft and fraud.
What happens to the tax due on such transactions?
I remember someone borrowed money $80,000 in the name of FAZ and that money was NOT receieved in the FAZ account.
???????? short memories.
Let ZRA assess the tax due on the allowances so that its is paid with penalties
conflict of interest these bastards
There is no issue here. Just a storm in a tea cup. What is 128,000 you chaps, in relation to what these guys are putting in Don’t follow the cry babies who were expelled blindly.
Palibe namulandu apa. FAZ continue being focused
FAZ: the place where you go to if you are looking for money to steal
I used to think ba Ponga was as intelligent and as honourable as his late father Liwewe kanshi he just knows how to talk with no administration know-how. Nothing.
Can we see the ‘agreement, contract’ between FAZ and the company enfin for services rendered if at all?
Kamanga and camp are just thieves thirsty to empty our football confers. He has failed to deliver the transparency and bring about big corporate sponsorship that he promised. He rode on the fake promises. I hope FAZ councilors are seeing this for themselves.
He even went on to harass Power Dynamos CEO during the AG that was held last week!! Ndanga is a failure. Preiod!! #AbashKamanga #AbashKamanga
Were these allowances Tax Free or ZRA should have been paid taxes on these earnings???
This is the fraud or tax avoidance that Simaata Simaata is alluding to in his whistle blowing.
They plunder the coffers of FAZ and now they are justifying themselves. Its a shame! Who authorized Mr Kamanga to be financing the football activities? This is just one way of siphoning money from the FAZ coffers. On top of getting paid on a monthly basis for doing their jobs, they also pay themselves hefty allowances. I support Mr Simaata Simaata 100%.