Sports minister Chishimba Kambwili has been named as one of the officials that allegedly benefitted in excess of US $100, 000 from Zambia’s 2012 Africa Cup prize money.
CAF made payments of between US $1.5 million to US $2 million to Zambia for winning the tournament but none of that money reached the players.
According to government sources familiar with the development, players received US $50, 000 each for winning the trophy.
The players had asked for either residential plots or houses as an additional reward to the monetary benefits but the government has not moved in anyway.
“Apparently, the officials benefitted more than the players from the winning of the Africa Cup. The minister was given a large portion something more than US $100, 000,” the sourced added.
Government officials say it is difficult to investigate how national resources are administered by FAZ because Kambwili is one of those protecting his friends.
The sources further say the FAZ leader Kalusha Bwalya, general secretary George Kasengele, treasurer Kelvin Mutafu, committee members Happy Mukondya, Richard Kazala and Pivoty Simwanza were major beneficiaries from the Africa Cup proceeds.
“These other guys in the committee were given a bit of cash just to make sure they don’t make noise but all the reports are with independent auditors and government officials,” the source added.
On Sunday Kambwili featured on ZNBC’s Sunday interview and gave the biggest indication that he will not give FAZ stress over accountability on match appearance fees and CAF refunds for the Africa Cup travel expenses.
Kambwili is quoted saying; “When you talk about participation fees when there are friendlies, I think those are issues that you have to ask FAZ. I think not everybody publicizes contracts and tenders, certain contracts entail that there should be secrecy.”
“Employment of certain people at FAZ… Surely you want every time they buy a football they tell you we bought from Grevazio Zulu at so much.”
Contracting associations usually publicize match appearance fees with the Zambia versus Brazil exhibition match on October, 15 in Beijing having been pegged at US$1 million, a figure that was posted on the Brazilian Football Association website.
Kambwili said he was not aware that CAF refunds associations their transport and expenses for the first three days of every Africa Cup in cash.
“I am not sure about that, I do not run football on a day to day basis, football is run by FAZ, and FAZ does not report to the ministry, they report to the National Sports Council of Zambia and NSCZ reports to ministry,” he said.
“It is not all the nitty gritties of how FAZ is administered that we are involved on a daily basis I will find out whether CAF refunds, where this money goes I will find out.”
When Kalusha was implicated in the Qatar bribery scandal, Kambwili defended the FAZ boss but went quiet when he admitted receiving the money.
The Roan MP is not new to abetting corrupt practices and is currently being investigated for ordering the Ministry of Sports accounts department to splash adverts in the Daily Mail and Times of Zambia to congratulate him for earning a degree at an unrated university on the Copperbelt.
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