Meet Kamungu Phiri, an Aspiring Southern Province Region Youth Representative

The Football Association of Zambia will resume holding the provincial elections after the COVID-19 pandemic, obviously, the main focus will be who will win the top job of FAZ President. However, the race to represent the province is heating up with a number of candidates throwing their names in the mix.

The Zamfoot crew met up with one man who is in the race for the Southern province youth representative who is also CEO of division two side Red Lion football club to get to know the real story behind his candidature. His Vision is attractive and we thought of chatting with him and understand this vision:


“To create realistically, but ambitious youth football structures and organization with clubs and team’s main objective and passion centered on player talent identification, development, management, and accountability according to FAZ, CAF and FIFA regulations, and statutes”

ZC: Who is Kamungu Phiri?

KP: Kamungu Phiri is 35-year-old Zambian, who is so passionate about Zambian football especially the youth development.

ZC: How long have you been involved in youth development?

KP: I have been involved in Zambian football for over 12 years now having served in 10 positions before my current position at Red Lion football club.


ZC: What makes a good administrator?

KP: A good administrator is a team leader and reliable person with the passion to deliver the desired objectives on the team or group he/she is representing. A good listener with a mindset of inclusiveness. Someone, who possesses both the knowledge and experience of what he/she is serving and ready to serve, just to mention a few?

ZC: Apart from the Red Cross football club, where else have you served?

KP: I have served in various positions club, district, and provincial levels as per my manifesto. I started with pure armature football in the following areas:


President of Anchor Ridge Football team in Lubombo Area of Mazabuka in 2014, With that position I started running armature leagues in the area as


General Secretary for Mazabuka East Armature and Mazabuka East Farmers Football Leagues and Garry Nkombo Tournaments. Thereafter I joined Red Lions FC who joined MADAFA (Mazabuka District Armature Football Association) which is a member for SPAFA (Southern Province Armature Football Association) 2017 as a General Secretary and Technical Adviser.


Just in the same year 2017, I was appointed as General Secretary of MADAFA and which gave me the privilege to serve as a Secretariat member of SPAFA. We successfully held MADAFA Leagues were we had so many teams promoted to FAZ Division through SPAFA playoffs.


Apart from the above I was later given other responsibilities such as Division 4 zone 4 Coordinator with teams from Monze, Mazabuka and Monze in 2018 to date and FAZ Provincial Cup Tournament Zone 4 Coordinator 2019-2020. Just this year I formed the Mazabuka Women Football League with 8 teams as a League Coordinator.

ZC: We understand that things are not as easy as stated. What do you think are some of the challenges running these activities in rural areas?

KP: Most rural clubs face sponsorship challenges and the necessary knowledge to develop and manage their clubs. We have a lot of talent which goes to waste. But don’t take this wrong what you see mainly in the rural area is the passion that can never be doubted hence overriding the challenges of sponsors.

ZC: What is wrong with our football at the moment? And what you think your experience could help address the wrong aspect?

KP: Mostly I feel our Football has not been so inclusive in terms of developmental structures. We do not have a strong or solid foundation in which we can develop our talent as a nation. We also lack the knowledge and the spirit of togetherness to develop the beautiful game. We lack proper sponsorship and other facilities as such infrastructure to effectively develop the talent we have. All in all, we lack a standardized way of identifying players, develop them and manage them were everyone unselfishly gets involved without putting personal interest first.


We shall need a lot of capacity building in the aspect especially were bringing in stakeholders is concerned. We shall get there one day especially if we put the right people in these positions.

ZC: Do you have any mentors you look up to in the game of football?

KP: On the field of play Great Kalu inspires me a lot and on the administration side current FAZ President Andrew Kamanga, Mr. Teddy Mulonga just to mention a few. On the coaching side Beston ‘quicksilver’ Chambeshi, George Lwandamina, Chris Chibuye, GAZA, and One Ferg … lol

ZC: Any ambitions of going higher?

KP: Yes I feel my leadership skills are needed on National and International levels. I will take one step at a time in also trying to acquire more knowledge, experience, and necessary exposure.


ZC: Thanks a lot for accepting to talk to you and wishing you all the best in your endeavors.

KP: The pleasure is mine and thanks for your thoughtfulness, much humbled.