We surrendered Kitwe United shares – Kang’ombe

By MUKWIMA CHILALAKITWE Mayor Christopher Kang’ombe said the shares he and four others previously held in Kitwe United Football Club Limited were surrendered this year.A Kitwe resident Thabo Kawana reported Kang’ombe to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in Kitwe for changing the status of Kitwe United Football Club (KUFC) as a private company limited by shareholding without the council resolution, and permission from the Ministry of Local Government.However Kang’ombe said the process which led to him acquiring shares was part of club licensing requirements under the FAZ 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 the new FIFA/FAZ rules.Kang’ombe 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 Division.“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,” Kang’ombe said.“The adoption timeline for all FAZ affiliated clubs for licensing was by September 2018 failure to which unregistered clubs would face sanctions including removal from participation in the FAZ League.”Kang’ombe noted that in 2018 when the social club (United) won promotion back to the Super Division, FAZ gave conditions that Kitwe United FC, as a club, be registered as a separate entity in compliance with FIFA Club licensing rules.Kang’ombe 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 in October 2018.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.He noted that the four non- beneficial shareholders – who included himself as club patron eventually surrendered the shares they previously held in Kitwe United Football Club Limited this year.