Zambia: Lusaka Division Two outfit Kamaila Football Club chairman Stanley Kasiya has thanked FAZ president Andrew Kamanga and his team for gracing back-to-back lower division Governance workshops in Lusaka.
And FAZ president Andrew Kamanga says his executive will continue supporting lower division clubs with equipment and financial grants to cushion their operational costs.
Meanwhile, FAZ general secretary Reuben Kamanga says FAZ had lived up to its promises by not only decentralizing the administration of the game but also creating the Zambian Premier League.
Giving a vote of thanks on Day Two of the Lusaka Province Governance Workshop, Kasiya said the lower division clubs were experiencing the benefits of decentralization.
“We also want to thank you for the decentralization of the soccer leadership in the provinces. We now have full ownership of the game itself. We look forward to more innovations,” he said.
Kasiya welcomed the challenge by Kamanga to the provincial leadership to work hard and source funds to raise the game to the next level.
“We also want to thank you for the challenge that you have given to our leadership in the province that we need to manage our game in Lusaka specifically by getting sponsorship. I believe that this is a great challenge,” he said.
Kamanga, who graced Day One of the workshop that comprised one stream, also officiated at the second-day workshop, where he re-emphasized the need for the provincial leadership to up their game in sourcing for sponsors.
The FAZ boss pledged to continue the equipment support for teams that guarantees lower division clubs footballs and jerseys with a token financial grant.
“At the national level, we will continue supporting you with the grants equipment such as footballs and jerseys. We did sign a contract not too long ago for footballs. I think through the GS, you will receive your allocation and sets of jerseys,” he said.
Kamanga said the executive committees in the provinces needed to do more to clinch sponsorship deals for their regions.
“This is the challenge that I want to give the provincial leadership because this is why you the members, elected them to support you with reducing the burden of managing the game,” he said.
And the general secretary said everything that was happening in the game was not by accident but a result of a long spelt out programme.
“Another thing that has happened is the creation of the Zambia Premier League. There are Super, National Division One and developmental leagues. That is proper separation effectively what that will do is that it will attract sponsors,” he said.
“People can now pick and choose and say let us support football at this level because that is where the talent or let us support football here because the players are already developed. You can choose what to sponsor depending on the size of your pocket.”
Lusaka Province chairperson Jordan Maliti thanked the members for attending the workshop, and this gave the opportunity to the participants.