SPORTS Minister Chishimba Kambwili has with immediate effect quashed the three-month ban slapped on Exodus Boxing Stables proprietor Anthony Mwamba by the Zambia Professional Boxing and Wrestling Control Board (ZPBWCB).
In an interview, Kambwili said that he had to exercise the discretion as Sports Minister to lift the ban on Mwamba saying the decision by the ZPBWCB was harsh and detrimental to the promotion of boxing in the country.
The ZPBWCB banned Mwamba for three months following a meeting held on January 11 for bringing the name of the sport into disrepute with his media statements and was found to be operation his stable without a boxing licence.
“I admit that yes Mwamba might have made a mistake but the boxing board were too harsh when handling out that ban. They should have corrected him and not banning him. What are they gaining in banning him for life,” he said.
“As Minister in charge of Sport, I have used my discretion to direct the ZPBWCB to lift Mwamba’s ban with immediate effect because we need him to continue contributing to the development of boxing in the country,” the Minister added.
Kambwili called on associations that were in the habit of banning their members to be considerate when making certain decisions and should to look ways of improving the sport in the country rather than being personal when making decisions.
[pullquote]“As Minister in charge of Sport, I have used my discretion to direct the ZPBWCB to lift Mwamba’s ban with immediate effect because we need him to continue contributing to the development of boxing in the country,” the Minister added.[/pullquote]
He said it was important for associations to put the interest of the sport ahead of their personal issues when making decisions but should work towards achieving their goal.
Kambwili said Mwamba’s boxing experience was needed to contribute to the development of boxing in the country adding that he had also heard that boxers at trainer’s gymnasium were not training because their mentor was banned.
He also said it was unfortunate that Women International Boxing Organisation (WIBO) and Women International Boxing Association (WIBA) light welterweight champion Esther Phiri has quit boxing when the country need her to continue winning titles.
“It is unfortunate that Esther has retired. It’s her personal decision and there is nothing I can do about it but it is really unfortunate that she has stopped when Zambia need her to continue winning more belts for the country,” Kambwili said.
Mwamba thanked the Minister for his intervention saying he was convinced that he never did anything wrong save for the ZPBWCB wanting to settle a grudge he against him in public by banning him.
“I just want to thank the minister the father of all sports men and women i knew did not do anything wrong, but Saili just wanted to settle a grudge he has against me in public, but that’s not how we should run sport,” Mwamba said.
[pullquote]“I just want to thank the minister the father of all sports men and women i knew did not do anything wrong, but Saili just wanted to settle a grudge he has against me in public, but that’s not how we should run sport,” Mwamba said.[/pullquote]
But ZPBWCB secretary Ben Saili said the Minister has his own reasons for lifting the ban as the board had the sole responsibility of ensuring that every member followed the rules governing the sport.
Saili said Mwamba was not above the law despite being a public figure who did something good for the country saying if he was found breaking the law then appropriate action, as stipulated in the laws of Zambia as per Chapter 156, needed to be taken.
“As the board we are law regulators and if someone breaks the law then we have to bring that person to book and charge that person according to chapter 156 of the laws of Zambia and the ZPBWCB Act.
[pullquote]“So should we fold our arms and let him go scot free even when he had violated the law just because he has done something for the country? No this is bringing anarchy in sport,” Saili said[/pullquote]
“So should we fold our arms and let him go scot free even when he had violated the law just because he has done something for the country? No this is bringing anarchy in sport,” Saili said
“The board suspended Anthony Mwamba for breaking the law as stipulated by chapter 156 of the laws of Zambia. As a regulatory body, the ZPBWCB exercised its authority in accordance with the law. Further, the ZPBWCB was lenient in its punishment.
Great champions like Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather went to prison for breaking the law. The offences committed by Mwamba carry a maximum punishment of a 6 month prison term,” Saili said.
Saili said it was rather unfortunate that a sports personality, who claimed to be a professional, can quit a professional sport on the pretext that she has been frustrated.
[pullquote]Great champions like Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather went to prison for breaking the law. The offences committed by Mwamba carry a maximum punishment of a 6 month prison term,” Saili said.[/pullquote]
“The first thing Esther should have done is find out why Mwamba was suspended. Mwamba does not dispute the fact that he broke the law. Does Esther want to supersede the functions of the ZPBWCB? Does Esther want the ZPBWCB to continue to overlook the laws of the land,” he said.
Saili said it is wrong for Esther to suggest that the board had frustrated her out of boxing when she had tied her professional career to a wrong doer.
“She has the choice to either continue being aligned to wrong doing or not. I applaud Esther for her contribution to the sport and her success as an athlete. I however, take strong exception for her to seemingly make an attempt to sway the Minister to rule in favour of her trainer,” Saili said in a statement released earlier before Kambwili lifted the ban.
You are just saying that he broke the law? where were you when all this was happening? What did he do to deserve that punishment?
again for the sake of not repeating myself,read and then comment.When you run a boxing promotion or training firm you need a licence to engage in this violent sport which death is a posibility.Failure to do so can be punishable by a fine and a ban or imprisonment upto 6 months with chucha laboure piled on top for good measure.
Do you now understand what crime mwamba committed?Duh!!!
Boxing politics.Yuck !
Kambwili PF accused u of channelling youth empowerment funds to girl friends, your own PF.
So when is the ACC moving in?
Ester stopped Boxing due to her ailment which we all know due to association with Willy Nsanda and Peter Cotonin bed. So she should stop being petty. Now that Mwamba is NOT banned we shall see if Ester will BOX again or come up with another excuse.
Zambia’s PHDs.
ba saili be mature naimwe,why didn’t u take mwamba to court.instead of promoting sports u are busy accusing each other,u and malunga are failures and you ve bn peddling lies against ur friends camp,sport works with luck, doesn’t mean wat esther achieved ll be achieved by the girl u sposor may be she ll get better things or not. malunga failed on chigangu hows he going to make it,the sposor that esther has is different don’t think people ll respond to what the responded to esther,grow up gents, saili and malunga mulimbushi
The boxing board was in order and the minister’s intervention is not in the interest of boxing but his own personal indulgence.
Mwambas flouted the law and needed to face the consequences period
political interference is justified because some of these sports associations have turned into serious cartels that are threatening professionalism in sport. some even take bribes for sportsmen/women in order to give favourable decisions. if they were professional, then they could be allowed to operate as autonomous bodies, but since they are not, then they should not be left to go on “rampage”
bravo minister omunvelela kalijo muyao ao amambala
@iamfras….. the point is kambili is not in order, you donot just wake one day and squash a ban, you appeal to the board to reconsider their decision,, thats what you do to avoid making the boxing board powerless…. anyway typical of PF thugs!
Reasons surrounding Ester’s withdrawal from boxing are confidential. When Sibanda from came to fight Ester she aluded to the fact that Ester did not pass medical exams – AND THAT IS THE KEY POINT.
Ester knows that she will never get a medical certificate to box again and for that reason she has been waiting for some substitute valid reason to give to the public for her resignation. Mwamba was banned for only 3 months and not for life as Kambwili puts it above. If Ester was really interested she would have gone back to boxing by April – AFTER ALL SHE HASN’T BEEN BOXING FOR A LONG TIME – and all this started when the Sibanda camp revealed that ester did not pass medical exams. SHE HAS SOME AILMENT AND AS IS ALWAYS THE CASE SUCH ISSUES ARE ALWAYS CONFIDENTIAL; OR RISK GETTING SUED.
Wayiyasa nondo muliso – precisely the point for her retirement; azachita infect banzake! Even her boyfriend cum-trainer is dying within three months by the Minister’s judgement – 3 months is life ban!
It is the issue of Jealousy by the boss who feels the Junior is performing well. It is normal to make an error, sometimes out of ignorance, that’s why we need Leaders who are level headed to make judgement. Indeed before arriving at the decision to Ban Mwamba, a reasonable and fair person should have looked at his record. This man has contributed a lot to the Success to Boxing in our Nation than what Mr. Saili in his individual capacity might have not done. Mr. Saili, be a Leader and not a Boss.
Saili is a leader and Kambwili is a boss. Kambwili should have sat with the boxing board first before making a rushy decision. Kambwili sides with a winning team even if it is making grave mistakes. If death occurred in those boxing stables Mwamba is running without a lisence what would Kambwili say?
I think Mr Kambwili has himself broken the law too here. If by ACT of parliament institutions are created to enforce the law and they do, then the Minister has no right to intervene. If Mr Mwamba felt that he was unjustily banned, he should have taken the case to court, particularly bearing in mind that he offence had a 6 months jail sentence.
I think I will advise the Boxing Board to sue the Minister.
These are the issue that TIZ should be persuing. Our institutions deserve respect and no one just be above the law , just because they can convince a minister to intervene for them.
This is a simple pure abuse of office by Kambwili and can ACC please move in on this one
musula ubo iwe namazai
political interference is justified because some of these sports associations have turned into serious cartels that are threatening professionalism in sport. some even take bribes for sportsmen/women in order to give favourable decisions. if they were professional, then they could be allowed to operate as autonomous bodies, but since they are not, then they should not be left to go on “rampage”
How can the MMD chief bootlicker make an independent judgement when he is siding with the MMD corrupt chaps……leave clean people alone u bootlicker…may be better put, ‘u ass licker’.
rubbish
Ba MMD Bootlicker,you talk as if you do not know that in my hubby’s government,all those Acts of whatever, he and his mighty Kaopnyas there is no rule of law.I do not understand you people how you waste your precious time advising even the former ACC to take actIon on this thug Kambwili.One example i can give you is about these Indian doctors who come to treat him in his UPPER ROOM ,they are not registered to practice medicine in Zambia yet they give me orders as if am a nurse koma am a Consultant .Ask Peter Mwaba PS ministry of health.So when he dies as a result of a malpactrice nakaba chita sue big time. Will give you more examples when we meet at the clinic one of these days.Generally things are not okay mwandini .
Government interference! Watch out if u do the same with FAZ. I agree with discretion but Mwamba should instead be fined for any disorderly conduct to the law!
KAMBWILI IS JUST A GREAT THINK AND STRATEGIST.
CONGRATULATIONS MINISTER FOR ACTING LIKE A FATHER.
AS JESUS SAID, WE ARE ALL HUMAN, AND THOSE WHO THINK THEY ARE NUMBER 1 WILL BE LAST.
CONTINUE GUIDING THIS NATION IN WHATEVER PORTFOLIO YOU ARE POSTED TO MINISTER. WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL.
I support your statement
If Anthony’s boxers can stand 12 rounds of fighting, why can’t he manage a mere 3 month ban. He could just take a vacation. Why run to PF to as for pardon? And Kabwili has just behaved as his leader to bully or in layman understanding called dictatorship.
unless there is another case if its the one he said you bosses didnt know boxing,then its something you should have just handed him a warnng. On miss Phiri’s retirement in boxing ,it up to her to use any reason to pull out weather medical or foolish board beef respect what she says, create another boxer and move on…
Buffoon Kambwili will always be an overzealous cadre not fit to hold public office…it really embarrassing to hear people saying he is hard-working. We surely deserve better than this buffoonery antics.
Nothing but PHDs!
These bans are like yoyo’s, only happens in Zambia
Saili,you belong to so many disgracive Zambians who do not appreciate what one has done to lift HIGH OUR COUNTRY.
Bravo Hon. Kambwili !
if its FIFA the government would have been charged with interferance which can lead to suspension of the team for some time
Saili li boolo sana!
Laws must be followed for them to be worth the paper they are written on no matter who is involved.It does’nt surprise anyone that this government is providing steel walls for thieves because they are thieves themselves.Kambwili what happened to the money you are alledged to have given you girl friends and family members by the Wynter/Masebo camp?Can you shed some light or sue them so that the nation can know the truth?
True.
I want to applaud Mr Ben Saili, Secretary General for ZPBWCB for resigning as a protest to Kambwili’s emotional and overzelous decision to upset Anthony Mwamba’s suspension. Besides, Mwamba was not banned for life; it was only for three months. Kambwili as usual has blown everything out of proportion and forgotten that every association or organisation has rules and regulations that govern the operations. Anyone who goes against the law must be disciplined. With such interferance hell will break loose in Zambia. This tells you that the PF government has no regard for the law. They base all their decisions on emotions. Anthony Mwamba should admit that he was at fault and should not start denying now the fact Kambwili illegally reprieved him. I salute Ben Saili for being honourable.
Anthony Mwamba has contributed
Too much to Zambian boxing. He doesn’t
Deserve to be banned at all. Please give
Honour to him honour is due. I respect
Him because he trained when I was 12 in 1983. Learn to celebrate living legends
What law did Antony Mamba break? All we hear/read is that he broke the law. Can some give details please? What law, where, when, how, why? LT dig deeper and provide more details!
Theoretician: Our Mwamba broke several laws and some of these crimes are still confidential. Number 1: Mwamba was running a Stable without a licence. To get a licence the stable has to be inspected and then if ok he has to pay umusonko(tax) to run the Stable but he contravened that. Number 2: Esther was examined by Nkanza Laboratories in Lusaka before her fight with Monalisa Sibanda of Zimbabwe and she failed the test. Boxers are tested so that when bleeding during the fight they don’t infect their opponents. Here again Mwamba used backdoor and managed to get a dubious certificate for Esther to fight.
Some people know the truth and once people start resigning just know that very soon the whole truth will be known and Kambwili will regret his ignorance. Sibanda’s camp also has this…
The problem was with Ben Saili he has now started fighting the Director of sport the one who was supporsed to resign is the Chairman not the secretary Ben knows nothing about Boxing in Proffessional boxing they only buy licence as a Promoter,Manager,trainer,Matchmaker,for the stable you only regester with Pacra that is a Company Period.Ben go back to school
The Esther/Sibanda fight was Esthers last fight cos she failed medicals; hence Saili does not want to reveal all! If Sibanda gets wind of the comminicable disease all hell will break loose! To Esther au revoir m’amour, go in peace and start a new family with the former KMB conductor/ call boy. Just remember not to breast feed, use Yogart instead.