Football Association of Zambia President Keith Mweemba has stepped aside as Chairperson of the National Team Technical Committee to give greater attention to his wider responsibilities as president. The decision was announced by FAZ General Secretary Charles Chakatazya, who said the move would allow Mweemba to focus fully on the broader responsibilities of his office and other strategic priorities. Mweemba had served as chairperson of the committee for about a year, helping guide it through its formative period and establish a foundation for its work. FAZ says a new chairperson will be appointed and announced in due course. The change comes alongside new appointments that will strengthen the technical and refereeing structures within Zambian football.
Mweemba’s decision separates the responsibilities of FAZ president and chairperson of the National Team Technical Committee. The technical committee plays an important role in matters relating to the national teams and technical direction, while the FAZ presidency carries wider administrative and strategic responsibilities across Zambian football. According to Chakatazya, stepping aside from the technical committee will allow Mweemba to devote more time to those broader duties. The decision does not represent a departure from the Football Association of Zambia. Instead, Mweemba remains FAZ president while a new chairperson is expected to take responsibility for the technical committee.
During his time leading the National Team Technical Committee, Mweemba helped oversee its formative months. The committee was given a foundation from which it could develop its work around national team football and technical matters. His departure from the chairperson role after roughly one year creates an opportunity for another person to take over the committee’s leadership. FAZ has not yet announced who will succeed him as chairperson. The association says the appointment will be communicated in due course.
At the same time, FAZ has announced the appointment of former Zambia Under-23 men’s national team coach Peter Kaumba to the National Team Technical Committee. Kaumba brings experience from both his playing career and coaching career. He guided the Zambia Under-23 men’s national team to the semi-finals of the 2003 All-Africa Games in Abuja, Nigeria. His appointment adds another experienced football figure to a committee that already includes former FAZ president Kalusha Bwalya, Kenneth “Bubble” Malitoli, Patrick Phiri and Danny Kabwe. The addition of Kaumba expands the range of football experience represented within the committee.
Kaumba is also a former Zambia international who was named Best Winger at the 1982 Africa Cup of Nations. That recognition forms part of a playing career that has contributed to his profile within Zambian football. His subsequent coaching experience adds another dimension to his role on the National Team Technical Committee. FAZ has described him as a football legend and experienced coach whose knowledge can contribute to the committee’s work. His appointment brings together experience from different periods of Zambian football and gives the committee another former national team figure.
Chakatazya welcomed Kaumba’s appointment and highlighted the value of his football knowledge and experience. The decision reflects FAZ’s continued use of experienced former players and coaches within its technical structures. Such committees require people who understand the demands of national team football from different perspectives. A former international can bring knowledge of playing at the highest level, while coaching experience provides an understanding of preparation, player development and technical decision-making. Kaumba’s background therefore gives him relevant experience for the role he has been appointed to undertake.
The National Team Technical Committee includes several prominent names from Zambian football. Kalusha Bwalya brings experience as a former Zambia international and former FAZ president, while Kenneth “Bubble” Malitoli, Patrick Phiri and Danny Kabwe also have backgrounds in Zambian football. The inclusion of Kaumba adds another former international and coach to the group. The committee’s composition gives it access to experience spanning playing, coaching and football administration. Its work will remain relevant to the broader development and management of Zambia’s national teams.
The leadership change at the National Team Technical Committee comes as FAZ also makes changes to its refereeing structure. Chakatazya confirmed the appointment of FAZ Luapula Province Chairperson Hans Mujala Mweemba as Chairperson of the Referees’ Committee. The appointment follows the departure of former chairperson Gladys Lengwe, who stepped down from the position the previous year. Former FIFA referee and COSAFA and CAF member physical instructor Bernard Chabala has also been appointed as a member of the committee. These appointments form part of the wider administrative changes being made within FAZ’s football structures.
Hans Mujala Mweemba’s appointment gives the Referees’ Committee a new chairperson following Lengwe’s departure. The committee has an important role within the football administration system because refereeing directly affects the organisation and conduct of matches. Strong administrative structures are therefore relevant to the development of officiating and the wider football environment. Chabala’s addition brings experience from international refereeing and physical instruction. His background can provide relevant knowledge to the committee as it undertakes its responsibilities.
The appointment of Bernard Chabala is particularly notable because of his experience as a former FIFA referee and his involvement as a physical instructor with COSAFA and CAF. Referee development involves more than understanding the Laws of the Game because officials also need to maintain appropriate physical standards and prepare for the demands of modern football. Experience in international refereeing and physical instruction can provide useful insight into these areas. Chabala’s appointment therefore adds another specialist background to the Referees’ Committee. His experience can contribute to the committee’s work alongside the leadership of Hans Mujala Mweemba.
The latest appointments show FAZ making changes across two important areas of football administration. The National Team Technical Committee is gaining Peter Kaumba while preparing to appoint a new chairperson following Keith Mweemba’s decision to step aside. The Referees’ Committee is also receiving new leadership through Hans Mujala Mweemba and gaining Bernard Chabala as a member. These changes involve different responsibilities but share a focus on strengthening football structures through experienced personnel. The coming period will show how the newly appointed officials contribute to their respective committees.
For the national teams, the appointment of a new technical committee chairperson will be an important next step. The chairperson will take responsibility for leading the committee while working alongside its existing members. Peter Kaumba’s addition means the committee will have another experienced voice with knowledge of Zambia’s national teams. The committee’s future work will also take place within the wider responsibilities of FAZ, which oversees football development and national team matters in Zambia. The eventual announcement of the new chairperson will clarify the committee’s leadership structure.
Mweemba’s decision also highlights the demands associated with leading the Football Association of Zambia. The FAZ president has responsibilities that extend beyond the work of a single committee and cover wider areas of football administration. According to the association’s announcement, stepping aside from the technical committee will enable Mweemba to devote greater attention to these broader responsibilities. The move therefore creates a clearer separation between the leadership of FAZ and the day-to-day chairing of the National Team Technical Committee. A new chairperson will allow the committee to continue its work while the president focuses on his wider mandate.
The changes come at a time when Zambian football continues to require effective administration across national teams, refereeing and development structures. Committees within FAZ depend on clear leadership and members with relevant football knowledge and experience. The appointments of Kaumba and Chabala add individuals with backgrounds in coaching, international football, refereeing and physical instruction. The appointment of Hans Mujala Mweemba provides new leadership for the Referees’ Committee. Meanwhile, the search for a new National Team Technical Committee chairperson remains the next administrative step.
Keith Mweemba’s decision to step aside as National Team Technical Committee chairperson marks a change in how the committee will be led, but it does not affect his position as FAZ president. His year at the helm helped guide the committee through its formative stage, while the association now prepares to appoint his successor. Peter Kaumba’s arrival adds experience from Zambia’s national team, coaching and playing history, while Hans Mujala Mweemba and Bernard Chabala bring new leadership and expertise to the refereeing structure. These appointments provide FAZ with an opportunity to continue developing its football administration through experienced personnel. The next stage will be the appointment of the new technical committee chairperson and the continued work of both committees within Zambia’s football system.