FAZ PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS SET FOR MARCH 29, 2025: WILL KAMANGA PASS THE INTEGRITY TEST?

By Uncle Philip (Banda)

Zambian football is bracing for a crucial moment as the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) gears up for its presidential elections on March 29, 2025. But before the candidates hit the campaign trail, all eyes are on tomorrow’s big announcement, where FAZ will reveal the names of those who have passed the nomination process.

One major talking point is whether incumbent FAZ President Andrew Kamanga will make the final list. His eligibility has been called into question following revelations by the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) that he remains under investigation for financial improprieties. FAZ’s strict integrity test requires all candidates to declare whether they are under any ongoing civil or criminal investigation—failure to disclose such information could mean automatic disqualification.

This situation is eerily similar to the 2020 FAZ elections, when football icon Kalusha Bwalya was disqualified for failing to declare a pending case on his nomination form. The big question now is: Will Kamanga face the same fate, or will FAZ handle this case differently?

What makes this even more intriguing is Kamanga’s own statement. When a journalist recently asked whether his DEC matter was closed, he confidently said yes. But what did he write on his nomination form? Did he declare the investigation, or did he omit it

Tomorrow, the FAZ Ethics and Football Governance Committees will decide Kamanga’s fate. Will they uphold the integrity test as they did in 2020, or will Kamanga get a pass?

With the presidential elections just over a month away, this decision could reshape the future of Zambian football. The nation is watching.