Andrew Kamanga has secured a third term as the President of the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) after being elected unopposed for the 2025-2029 cycle.
The FAZ Electoral Committee confirmed on Monday that Kamanga was the only candidate to meet the eligibility criteria, following the disqualification of all eight challengers who had submitted nominations.
This means the 58-year-old administrator will continue leading Zambian football, extending a tenure that began in 2016.
This is a massive boost for the astute football administrator just one month before Kamanga contests for the FIFA Council position for Africa.
With a fresh term of office in the bag, the Zambia FA President will now focus on contesting for one of the most prized football positions in the world in Cairo next month at the CAF elections.
Eight Candidates Ruled Out
A total of nine individuals, including Kamanga, filed nominations for the FAZ presidency ahead of the elections set for 29 March 2025.
However, the FAZ Electoral Committee ruled that the other eight failed to meet the constitutional requirements.
Among those disqualified were former FAZ General Secretary Adrian Kashala, former Vice President Emmanuel Munaile, and MUZA club owner Keith Mweemba.
Others who fell short included journalists Godfrey Chikumbi and Alex Njobvu, as well as football administrators Francis Hamfwiti, Machacha Shepande, and Mumbo Lombe.
FAZ Electoral Committee Chairman Ronald Haatongo explained that all nominations were scrutinized based on FAZ statutes, including an integrity test.
“There were nine contestants for this position, and out of those, eight were invalid. Only one candidate presented documents that were in good order, and his name is Mr. Andrew N. Kamanga,” Haatongo announced.
“By virtue of the powers vested in me by the FAZ statutes, I hereby declare Andrew N. Kamanga duly elected FAZ President for the period 2025 to 2029.”
Appeals Window Open
Despite being disqualified, the eight unsuccessful candidates have an opportunity to appeal the decision.
The appeal period closes on 22 February 2025, after which the final list of candidates will be confirmed.
This development has sparked discussions within the Zambian football fraternity, with some questioning the disqualification process and its implications for the democratic nature of FAZ elections.
Kamanga’s Legacy and Challenges Ahead
Since first winning the presidency in 2016, Kamanga has overseen major developments in Zambian football, including improved governance structures, women and youth development programs.
However, his tenure has not been without controversy, with critics arguing that his leadership has failed to return Zambia to its former glory, particularly on the international stage despite the women’s national team being recognized as one of the best on the continent.
With another four years at the helm, Kamanga will now have the opportunity to further his football reform agenda.
The spotlight will be on how he navigates internal challenges and steers Zambia towards qualification for major tournaments, including the FIFA World Cup.
As the FAZ elections approach, the focus will shift to whether any of the disqualified candidates will successfully appeal their exclusion.
However, for now, Andrew Kamanga remains firmly in charge of Zambian football.
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