While the cut throat Ethiopian Football Federation Presidential and Executive body election is getting momentum, the League Share Company President Lieutenant Fekade Mamo gave an earth shaking press conference that rocked the football family.
According to Fekade Mamo the press conference is just to give an insight to the General Assembly what is really happening surrounding the country’s football. “I am here on behalf of the Share Company just to give you some information about big scandals taking place in the name of the country’s football” Fekade remarked at the conference.
Fekade disclosed four major scandals that happened under the very eye of the incumbent executive body. Failure to deliver proprietorship certification for the 95 million Birr Football Federation office building, a messy deal with sports Equipment Manufacturer UMBRO and a 200,000 Birr commission payment for a certain individual and issuing a business class round trip 345,000 Birr worth air ticket to one of the Executive members are the real sensitive issues mentioned at the conference. “We were told that we do not have a right to give the press conference. But we simply ignored it and here we are with crude facts” Fekade stated firmly.
In the meantime the Football Federation General Secretary Baheru Tilahun appeared in ETV sport to declare that the League Committee’s press-conference is both illegal and quite a defamation campaign to rub dirt on the executive body members. “The League Committee could have done lots to better the country’s football rather than staying busy in such defamation acts” Baheru remarked at his brief stay with the sport news.
A bomb shell from League Company President Fekade Mamo
Sundowns impressed by Abubeker Naser’s first appearance
Mamelodi Sundowns have confirmed the arrival of Ethiopian striker Abubeker Nassir from Ethiopian Coffee after the player received his long-awaited international clearance.
There had been some suggestions that the 22-year-old would be loaned out this campaign, but judging by the welcome afforded to him, it appears he is very much in the plans of co-coaches Manqoba Mngqithi and Rhulani Mokwena. Nassir has been a prolific scorer in the Ethiopian league in the last three years, used as a central striker although he started out on the left wing.
It was his 29 goals in 23 games in the 2020-21 season that caught the eye of the technical team at Sundowns and they made their move, signing the player in January, but loaning him back to Ethiopian Coffee for the remainder of last season.
Clearly a player of some quality – he was also a star for his country as they shocked Egypt in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers early this month – Nassir has largely only been tested in his domestic league.
The slight concern for Sundowns is how he will adapt to the rigours of the much more physical and technically-superior DStv Premiership.
Sundowns beat Kaizer Chiefs to the signature of the forward, who also represented Ethiopia at the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon and featured against Bafana Bafana in the 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifiers.
Nassir came through the ranks at local club Harar City but was signed by Ethiopian Coffee in 2016.
He initially played in the reserve side but worked his way into the first team and was an instant hit, with a number of clubs across the continent taking notice of his talent.
It is reported he also had offers from Europe, though the lower leagues in Spain and Georgia are mentioned, as well as North Africa.
He made his international debut in 2019 and had five goals to date, the latest in June against Malawi in the 2023 Cup of Nations qualifiers.
St George get Sudan’s Al Hilal; Fasil face Burundi’s Bumamuru
Ethiopian Premier League Champions, St George FC will face Sudanese outfit Al Hilal in the preliminary round of the 2022/23 CAF Champions League while Fasil paired with Bumamuru.
The fixture was announced on Tuesday in Cairo where the draw for the 2022-2023 CAF Interclub competitions Preliminary Rounds took place.
If they progress, St George will face the winner of Tanzania’s Young Africans between Zalan FC of South Sudan in the second round.
Preliminary fixtures will be played on the weekends of September 9-11 and 16-18 while the last-32 fixtures are set for the weekends of October 7-9 and 14-16.
The reigning African champions Wydad Casablanca of Morocco are one of six teams to be given a bye into the second qualifying round of the tournament.
They will begin the defense of their title against either Nigeria’s Rivers United or Watanga of Liberia.
The 16 winners of the second-round ties will advance to the group stage of the tournament, while beaten sides will drop into play-offs for the Caf Confederation Cup.
Fasil paired with Bumamuru
Ethiopian representative Fasil Kenema FC will play against Bumamuru FC of Burundi in the preliminary round of the 2022-23 Caf Confederation Cup competition.
Fasil are playing in the confederation cup thanks to their runner-up finish in the 2021/22 Ethiopian Premier League campaign.
Fasil, should they progress, will face three-time champions CS Sfaxien of Tunisia for a place in the group stage.
Including CS Sfaxien and reigning champions RS Berkane of Morocco, six clubs were given byes into the second round of qualifying for this competition.
The Cup holders RS Berkane will play either Kwara United from Nigeria or Niger’s AS Douanes in the second round.
The first two rounds will be held in September and October, with a final play-off round against African Champions League second qualifying round losers in November.
Unlike the three previous seasons, the final of this edition will be played in a two-legged format.
Contract farming bill passed
The council of Ministers approved the highly anticipated contract farming proclamation and referred it for approval to parliament.
In its session held on August 19 the Council of Ministers approved the draft proclamation for contract farming that it said will accelerate the agriculture sector production and productivity.
It has been a long time since the country was drafting the contract farming proclamation to conduct the sector development with legal framework.
In related development the cabinet has amended the 2013 seed proclamation and sent to the parliament for ratification.
