Zambia Rugby Union (ZRU) life president Bonny Mutale has questioned the legitimacy of this Saturday’s elections at the 2023 elective annual general meeting scheduled for Kabwe.
Incumbent ZRU President Clement Sinkamba is unopposed for the top position after his only challenger Owen Mhango was disqualified from the race for being nominated and seconded by clubs allegedly not in good standing with the union.
Mhango was nominated by Kitwe giants Diggers and seconded by KPF but ZRU has accused the two clubs of not being in good standing because they allegedly owe the union fees.
Speaking to Radio Icengelo Sports on the Copperbelt, Mutale said the ZRU elections will not be free and fair because some aspirants have been disadvantaged
Tom Chani is unopposed for the position of Vice President alongside incumbent general secretary Musunka Silungwe, Treasurer Paul Sichula and all the nominations for committee members were declared invalid by the ZRU judicial and ethics committee chaired by Musa Zimba.
“All these issues of some clubs not being in good standing with the union should have been brought way back before the meeting. Now if they start barring people from the meeting and elections what is their agenda? Is it because they want to disadvantage other people or they do not want competition? This thing is not a monarchy. I am not siding with anyone; my agenda is the transparency of these elections,” Mutale said.
“I am saying let the playing ground be level. I know all members have not received minutes of the previous meeting, audited accounts, agenda and I have not even received the invitation. The Zambia Rugby Union has not communicated to me about the elective annual general meeting. So what is going on? Why are we being union presidents when we cannot even be treated in a respectable manner?” he wondered.
Let this rotten situation seep into our sports.