THREE INSTANCES OF GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE IN FORTHCOMING FAZ ELECTIONS Good morning. We are compelled to go back to the never ending debate of how Mr Andrew Kamanga was declared the only successful nominee for President of the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ). This morning the Zambian Whistleblower, will avoid all the intricacies of the law, as is being bandied about by what is clearly the government-sponsored anti- Kamanga forces. We shall not beat about the bush, as others want to do. We have enough reasons for saying that, and here is the narrative. The ZWB had reported last year, before the current shenanigans became public, that there was a plot by the government to replace Andrew Kamanga with Keith Mweemba. Since we republished that story just a week ago, we shall not belabour the points we made. That still remains rhe crux of the current developments. All other pretender candidates are merely the supporting cast for this drama. The drama was kicked off by the charade of accusing Andrew Kamanga of misuse of funds given to FAZ by the government. We stated then that this was orchestrated by Sports and Youth Minister Elvis Nkandu. This marked the first third party interference in the forthcoming elections for FAZ President. That plot failed at the first challenge, and the government side had proposed a reapproachnent, resulting in the often quoted consent agreement. The Ministry of Sport then left matters in the hands of the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC), to throw up last minute innuendo that the investigation started as a result of the childish allegations from the Ministry of Sport, as a last ditch effort to make Andrew Kamanga fail the FIFA Integrity Test. The DEC ploy then became the second instance of the government's third party interference in the forthcoming election of the FAZ President. When the DEC gambit was challenged as suspicious, owing the complainant having withdrawn the matter, the government was left to reach for another straw. In the meantime the bombshell. The nomination papers of the government-sponsored "people's choice", and other seven candidates for FAZ President were declared invalid by both the Governance and Electoral committees. Faced with this dilemma, the government goaded a hapless head of the National Sports Council of Zambia, Sombwa Musunsa, to issue a meaningless threat that the FAZ Council would not be recognised after February 28, and also issue an unenforceable ultimatum for FAZ to hold elections by that date. This is effectively the third instance of third party government interference in thiselection for FAZ President. What the National Aports Council of Zambia hapless Chief Executive Officer overlooked is that the FAZ Council had sought FIFA guidance and permission to set the March election date. Now the Zambian government will have to answer to FIFA for all these confirmed instances of third party interference in the elections for FAZ President. We are left to wonder: does this government actually have people who can think their way out of a paper bag? Have a good day Get in touch with us on WhatsApp +263786654620 John 8:32 "And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” #zambianwhistleblower #zwb ©️ Zambian Whistleblower (ZWB).