Luanshya Copper Mines, the sponsors of Roan United football club have fired club Chairman Chisoni Miti for financial mismanagement. Miti was dismissed after complaints from stakeholders who included the supporters trust and the Mine workers union of Zambia. The mining firm has finally decided to fire Miti after stakeholders presented evidence of financial irregularities at the club.
Sources at the club have disclosed that Luanshya Mine have since appointed Operations Manager Pearson Pearson Mwale to replace Miti. Mwale will be assisted by Sectional Engineer Perpinoh Chikumbi. The mining firm has also appointed senior procurement officer Steven Mwansa as Treasurer.
The supporters Trust and the Mineworkers Union of Zambia had complained to the sponsors that Miti was running the club like his own personal project and he had repeatedly refused to appoint a treasurer as he was handling all the money issues alone including the paying of salaries, bonuses and all allowances to the players.
“Mr Miti took advantage because the Chinese have no interest in the day to day running of the club, they simply have no interest in football so he took advantage and he was using the money the way he wished. Some of the players told us that when being paid they could sign for K6, 000.00 but only get K4, 500.00 said a source from the supporters trust.
The sources further revealed that the players have on several occasions dragged Miti to the National Pension Scheme Authority offices in Luanshya after they discovered that their deductions were not being remitted.
“Luanshya Mine had also allowed Roan United to lease some of the properties in the sports complex and Miti was personally collecting rentals from the tenants but the money never went to Roan united, there were just too many irregularities and the man had to go”, said the source.
Miti, a cashier at Zamtel Luanshya was appointed Chairman in 2014 with the mandate to guide the once stylish Roan United back to supper league football.
The newly constituted committee has requested for an upward adjustment in the sponsorship package if the club is to win promotion back to the super league next year. Luanshya Mine gives Roan United an annual grant of K1.65Million per annum