To: All Media Houses
From: Zesco United Football Club
09th August, 2015
RE : Mufulira Wanderers vs Zesco United
Zesco United would like to condemn the violence that happened at Shinde Stadium yesterday in Mufulira. It is unacceptable that violence is coming back to football in this era when we are supposed to implement club licensing. Zesco took the lead in the 31st minute through Winston Kalengo after being set up by Clatous Chama and this point that Mufulira Wanderers supporters started throwing stones and objects on the pitch with one landing on Mwape Mwelwa.
Referee Gladys Lengwe delayed the match for nine minutes, when she signaled for restart of the match and players took their positions, it is at this point that fans from outside the stadium started throwing stones towards the goalpost where Jacob Banda was, sensing danger that the security situation had worsened she decided to send both teams off the pitch for security.
The match was delayed for close to an hour due to the fact that Mufulira Wanderers were trying to put security logistics in order. It’s at that point that the match commissioner told Zesco that the match would start soon and Zesco raised concerns about both teams warming up before restart and if Shinde stadium had floodlights to accommodate the restart since it was already 17:00hours. The match commissioner went to consult and after wards informed Zesco United that the match had been abandoned and the match officials never returned to the pitch.
It is unfortunate that the wanderer’s secretary Samuel Kalunga could support his fans behavior as quoted on Football Association of Zambia Facebook page. There is procedure to be followed to air grievances than resort to violence. We would like to put it on record that we did not abandon the game. Mufulira Wanderer’s supporters delayed the restart of the match by their violent behavior.
We do not think that the violence that was exhibited yesterday is any special to escape punishment, FAZ through the disciplinary committee has already set precedence when Kabwe Warriors fans started violence when they played Green Eagles in Kabwe and Zanaco at Sunset and when Nkana played Konkola Blades last year.
We are saddened that we have become a victim of violence as evident when we played Power Dynamos in Kitwe on 8th July. To date FAZ has not taken any disciplinary measures has not against Power Dynamos and fear that we will one day have fatalities recorded from such violence. It is our hope that FAZ will take measures to stamp out this violence by meting out stiff punishments which shall be a lesson to would be offenders.
We have written a complaint and it is our hope that the disciplinary committee will do justice to Mufulira wanderers and Power Dynamos.
We wish to thank our supporters and for the exemplary behavior exhibited during our losses our two loses at home. We wish to comment our supporters and fans for the high level of discipline exhibited both home and away.
We wish to advice teams that games shall not be won out of violence, titles will never be won out of titles but hard work.
The violence will chase away the much the much needed sponsorship, Zesco united values its sponsorship and will continue behaving as such.
Issued By
Justin Mumba
Club Secretary
