By Innocent Liambai (Personal view)
I for one do not subscribe to such sentiments as accusing the Mayor of Luanshya Nathan Chanda of being a tribalist for supporting the Great Kalu.
On a straight forward issue, the mayor is an individual like any other and yes can support anyone of his choice especially when it comes to sports in totality and yes not on tribal lines.
But by personal choice just like any other individual and yes in my case I’m for the Great Kalu as a player and yes not as an administrator.
He is the greatest footballer ever produced in Zambia (my personal opinion) (boxing Lottie Mwale)(Squash Gondwe) (Athletics Samuel Matete)(Motor Rally Satwant Singh)(Golf Madalitso) (Chess Simutowe)(Tennis Simunyola)(Wrestling Tiger Boy) (Referee Sikazwe) just to mention a few.
And yes I have yet to come across a Zambian with relatives from one tribe. Coming back to the Kalu-Kamanga debacle.
The position at CAF is open to any Zambian with the correct credentials. In this case we have two Zambians interested and yes can only nominate one through FAZ.
These two have been at loggerheads for a long time.
The genesis of all this lies squarely on the shoulders of the Great Kalu who was obsessed with the wamuyayaya syndrome when he was at the helm of FAZ.
He was a dictator antagonising almost anybody who was questioning his leadership style.
Sports journalists, Pastor Makembo, government officials, potential opponents just to mention a few got a taste of the great Kalu’s sledge hammer.
The absentee FAZ President at one point had to be chased from Pamodzi Hotel at the behest of President Levy Mwanawasa, because the taxpayer could not sustain the lavish lifestyle of the absentee FAZ President.
To perpetuate his stay at the helm of FAZ the Great Kalu engaged in alleged underhand methods like changing the FAZ Constitution by stealth or just like the National Democratic Forum (NDF) way.
But Andrew Kamanga and my controversial tribesman Simata Simata put up a sustained battle to unseat the Great Kalu despite the odds.
Until when Kamanga abwela alepula (tore apart) the Great Kalu at a heavily stage-managed and rigged election by the dictatorial Great Kalu and company, at Moba hotel the fortresses of the Great Kalu and yes was pierced by Kamanga and company. The election was so close such that the Great Kalu ordered several unprecedented recounts until he conceded defeat in the wee hours of the night and yes the rest is history.
Unfortunately for Kamanga he holds the worst record in terms of delivery to the expectations of us the lovers of this beautiful game of soccer.
My personal opinion is to reconcile the two and after the term of Kamanga. The two should be banished from FAZ and yes let others take the mantle and yes restore the dwindling football fortunes.
These two can contribute to our beautiful game of football on voluntarily basis outside FAZ. On another note, there’s one thing I have noticed that is our country under the PF is polarised on tribal lines.
This tribal card is mostly being brandished by people associated or claiming to be staunch PF members.
Especially those from Luapula, Northern and Muchinga Provinces, we have heard them boast of how their tribe and vote is the reason the PF in government. This is tantamount to tribal political hegemony.
And yes very far from the truth because Zambia is bigger than any single tribe. It’s high time we heard from the top leadership of the ruling party to condemn this tribal card with the contempt it deserves, before the situation gets out of hand.
