HH TIPS FEUDING FOOTBALL CHIEFS
PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema has advised warring football administrators to come together and dialogue to resolve football political disputes affecting the Zambian game.
Hichilema said there is no need for Zambia as a country to wait for FIFA to provide solutions to issues affecting football in Zambia.
He was speaking after witnessing Red Arrows win the 2024 ABSA Cup at Heroes Stadium yesterday.
"We should not wait for FIFA or somebody to resolve our problem," Hichilema said.
"We must always dialogue. Challenges will always arise. Difficulties will always arise at any stage but we must be magnanimous enough to dialogue, sit at a table and solve. I know of the judicial system, it is the last recourse we should resort to, to seek redress, we must dialogue,” the President said.
He said he has asked Sports Minister Elvis Nkandu to engage the parties involved in the FAZ wrangles to find an amicable resolution to issues affecting football in the country.
"Courts decide one way or another but the heavy heartedness stays so I'm a promoter of dialogue and amicable resolution. You saw what I said in Kenya about South Sudan, it applies to us Zambians. We can't preach dialogue, peacemaking to other people, charity begins at home. Let's make peace here. Whatever the issues are let's resolve them," Hichilema said.
He says football is meant for uniting people and not promoting division.
"Let's promote our sports unity through sports, unity through dialogue, unity through tolerance, unity through reasoning," Hichilema said.
Meanwhile, Hichilema has congratulated ABSA for supporting the ABSA Cup which was expanded to 21 one teams this season.
He urged corporates to emulate ABSA Bank who have consistently supported the ABSA Cup for over 17 years.
The President also congratulated Arrows and Warriors for putting up the best ABSA Cup final which was evenly contested before Arrows emerged victorious.