Lusaka, Zambia, July 29: Zambia Sports Minister, Chishimba Kambwili has come under fire for his conduct during the Group B CAF Confederation Cup match between Zambia’s Nkana Red Devils and visiting Tunisian side Etoile du Sahel.
Kambwili reportedly stormed the Arthur Davies Stadium pitch in Kitwe after the final whistle of the game was blown to protest to the officiating Ethiopian referee Bamlak Tessema Weseye.
The Minister was angered with the way the Ethiopian match official handled the game which Nkana won 4-3.
He was particularly incensed with the two controversial penalties Weseye awarded to the visiting team which the local team supporters and the Minister himself felt were dubious.
The Zambia’s online soccer magazine, Bola Zambia warned that the conduct by Kambwili would attract serious consequences from the continental soccer governing body Confederation of Africa Football (CAF).
Kambwili reportedly stormed the Arthur Davies Stadium pitch in Kitwe after the final whistle of the game was blown to protest to the officiating Ethiopian referee Bamlak Tessema Weseye.
The Minister was angered with the way the Ethiopian match official handled the game which Nkana won 4-3.
He was particularly incensed with the two controversial penalties Weseye awarded to the visiting team which the local team supporters and the Minister himself felt were dubious.
The Zambia’s online soccer magazine, Bola Zambia warned that the conduct by Kambwili would attract serious consequences from the continental soccer governing body Confederation of Africa Football (CAF).
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“Kambwili’s action has implications and could draw the wrath of CAF,”the magazine warned briefly.
According to the Zambia online media reports, it took the intervention of the 20 local police officers on duty that day to prevent things from taking an ugly turn.
Nonetheless, the swift response from the security forces to successfully restrain the Minister from getting closer to the beleaguered match officials did not completely prevent some agitated Nkana fans from joining the fray.
In course of the fracas the Ethiopian referee is reported to have been hurled with barrage of insults and sprinkled with beer by some angry local fans at the stadium.
During the verbal confrontation with the match officials the minister is allegedly to have called the Ethiopian referee “stupid” and told him that he should not handle games the way he did.
Kambwili’s Saturday conduct has also sparked criticism on the political front with the main opposition, Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD Youth Wing Chairperson Howard Kunda calling his conduct during the match childish and unbecoming.
Kunda called the incident unprecedented in the country’s history and told Kambwili to learn to exercise self control during such events.
“Hon. Kambwili should learn the virtue of self-control and realize that being a minister is a very big responsibility that calls for levelheadedness,” observed Kunda in a press statement.
He further said Kambwili actions were not exemplary to the youth whom he represents by virtue of his ministerial portfolio.
He therefore asked the Minister and the government to publicly apologise to the continental soccer governing body as soon as possible to save the nation any further embarrassment.
However, Kambwili denied reports that he called the Ethiopian referee stupid accusing the local media of trying to destroy him and threatened to take a legal action against them.
“I am extremely disappointed with this kind of reporting. Some reporters want to destroy me but I can tell you that I am clean because what has been reported is excellent lie.
You can even ask the ref [himself], he would be shocked to hear that I said he is stupid,” Kambwili told journalists during the press conference Sunday.
“I told him that I was disappointed in the manner he handled the game, such refereeing is what is destroying African football,” he added.
He therefore, appealed to Nkana FC to lodge a complaint with CAF over the conduct of the officiating team during the game.
He also disclosed that he will personally write a protest letter to the continental soccer governing body on the same and called CAF to review the game’s video.
“Nkana should officially complain to CAF on the officiating...I am also personally writing to CAF to complain about the refereeing. I urge CAF to collect the video [of the game] and view for themselves what transpired,” he said.
According to the Zambia online media reports, it took the intervention of the 20 local police officers on duty that day to prevent things from taking an ugly turn.
Nonetheless, the swift response from the security forces to successfully restrain the Minister from getting closer to the beleaguered match officials did not completely prevent some agitated Nkana fans from joining the fray.
In course of the fracas the Ethiopian referee is reported to have been hurled with barrage of insults and sprinkled with beer by some angry local fans at the stadium.
During the verbal confrontation with the match officials the minister is allegedly to have called the Ethiopian referee “stupid” and told him that he should not handle games the way he did.
Kambwili’s Saturday conduct has also sparked criticism on the political front with the main opposition, Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD Youth Wing Chairperson Howard Kunda calling his conduct during the match childish and unbecoming.
Kunda called the incident unprecedented in the country’s history and told Kambwili to learn to exercise self control during such events.
“Hon. Kambwili should learn the virtue of self-control and realize that being a minister is a very big responsibility that calls for levelheadedness,” observed Kunda in a press statement.
He further said Kambwili actions were not exemplary to the youth whom he represents by virtue of his ministerial portfolio.
He therefore asked the Minister and the government to publicly apologise to the continental soccer governing body as soon as possible to save the nation any further embarrassment.
However, Kambwili denied reports that he called the Ethiopian referee stupid accusing the local media of trying to destroy him and threatened to take a legal action against them.
“I am extremely disappointed with this kind of reporting. Some reporters want to destroy me but I can tell you that I am clean because what has been reported is excellent lie.
You can even ask the ref [himself], he would be shocked to hear that I said he is stupid,” Kambwili told journalists during the press conference Sunday.
“I told him that I was disappointed in the manner he handled the game, such refereeing is what is destroying African football,” he added.
He therefore, appealed to Nkana FC to lodge a complaint with CAF over the conduct of the officiating team during the game.
He also disclosed that he will personally write a protest letter to the continental soccer governing body on the same and called CAF to review the game’s video.
“Nkana should officially complain to CAF on the officiating...I am also personally writing to CAF to complain about the refereeing. I urge CAF to collect the video [of the game] and view for themselves what transpired,” he said.
By: Joel Chirwa
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