By Scoop Reporter
MOPANI Copper Mines Plc has today announced the stepping down of Evaristo Kabila from his position as president of Nkana Football Club and has appointed Engineering Projects Superintendent, Joseph Silwamba, to take over.
Kabila, who is the Engineering Business Unit Manager at Mopani, was seconded to head the Executive Committee of Nkana in 2015 and during his tenure, Nkana finished second in the 2018 Zambia Super League season and went on to reach the quarter finals of the CAF Confederations Cup.
Nkana also won the 2018 Barclays Cup (now renamed ABSACup) and the Zoom Ndhlobvu Charity Shield for two years on the bounce (2018 and 2019).
It was also during Kabila’s reign that Nkana established the Nkana youth academy (Young Nkana) currently playing in Division 3 and has continued to produce shining stars such as Moses Nyondo, Justin Mwanza, and Patrick Gondwe.
Mopani Copper Mines Plc Acting Chief Executive Officer, Charles Sakanya, confirmedKabila’s resignation and announced that Silwamba, who was the vice president of NkanaFC, will take over as president from July 1, 2020.
Silwamba, who has been part of the Nkana FC Executive since 2012, has in the past headed Diggers Rugby Club on three occasions (2004, 2005 and 2008), served as vice president of the Zambia Rugby Union (2012) and National Sports Council Board member (2013-2017).
Kabila has had a tumultuous relationship with the Nkna fans and the bad blood between them hit a crescendo in October last year when the club banned 10 supporters who were allegedly ring leaders of the violence that occurred during the match against Forest Rangers at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium.
Nkana supporters threw assorted objects on the pitch as their team was at the verge of losing the week 4 match by 1-0 in Ndola.
The incident prompted FAZ to warn Nkana supporters against hooliganism and Kabila said the action to permanently ban the culprits from all club activities was taken after the internal investigations into the violence.
