‘FAZ demanded Kitwe United company registration’

MUKWIMA CHILALA writes  KITWE Mayor Christopher Kang’ombe has moved to set the record straight amidst corruption allegations relating to ownership of Kitwe United football club saying the process was part of club licensing requirements under the Football Association if Zambia league structure. Kang’ombe said the process of registering a separate entity called Kitwe United FC Limited was to enable the Council sponsored social club compete in the Zambia Super League under new FIFA / FAZ rules as guided by the local soccer governing body. Kangombe said that Kitwe United FC, initially existed as a Social Club in Buchi – Kamitondo Township from the early days in the 70’s until 2018 when the club won back promotion to play in the  Super League . “Back in 2003, FIFA Introduced Club Licensing for all Super Division Clubs whose aim, was to make clubs operate professionally with the right to sue and be sued. Thus, the new FIFA Club Licensing Compliance criteria demanded that all football clubs in the Super Division and Division One should compete as registered organisations separate from the sponsor,” Kangombe said . The adoption timeline for all FAZ affiliated Club for Licensing was by September 2018 failure to which unregistered Clubs would face sanctions including removal from participation in the FAZ League.  Kangombe noted that in 2018 when the social club (United) won promotion back to the Super League, FAZ gave condition that Kitwe United FC, as a club, be registered as a separate entity in compliance with FIFA Club licensing rules. He said that the club needed to comply in full without exception or face sanctions as detailed in the compliance criteria.  He noted that it was for this reason that four non beneficial shareholders representing Kitwe City Council, were recommended by management of the local authority in registering the club as a separate company. “For this reason alone, Four (4) Non-Beneficial shareholders representing Kitwe City Council were recommended by management of the local authority in registering Kitwe United Football Club as a separate company  ​​​in October 2018, almost three (3) weeks after the deadline”, he said.  This was done in consultation with the FAZ Club Licensing Manager, who kindly granted us the 3 weeks grace period,”  Kang’ombe said that the four non-beneficial shareholders representing Kitwe City Council comprised of a club Patron representing the Office of The Mayor and three Council workers, representing the Executive Committee of the social club. Kangombe, however, said that the four non- beneficial shareholders – who included himself as Club patron ( Mayor) – eventually surrendered the shares they previously held in Kitwe United Football Club limited this year.  FAZ had directed that all clubs in the National Division One league and Super league be run as separate entities under the FIFA licencing rules. It was recently reported that Thabo Kawana reported the Kitwe Mayor to the Anti-Corruption Commission ACC over alleged corruption and abuse of office. According to Kawana, Kang’ombe between October 2018 and February 2020 did cause Kitwe United Football Club a team owned by the city council to be incorporated as a private company limited by shares instead of garantee. Kangombe later appointed himself as Director and Shareholder of the said company without following laid down procedure or getting approval or ratification from the council. It is further alleged that the Kitwe City Council continued sponsoring Kitwe United Football team a private limited company using public funds. The Sun