FECOFA Elections: Aziz Makukula, a candidacy on many lips
Aziz Makukula has declared himself a candidate for the presidency of the Congolese Football Federation for the upcoming elections, but his candidacy is provoking several negative reactions. The former Portuguese international of Congolese origin speaks of a relentlessness.
Philemon MBALE · Author profile ·
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Aziz Makukula aspires to become the new president of the Congolese football federation. The former attacker submitted his application for this purpose to the general secretariat of FECOFA. But since the announcement of his candidacy, negative reactions are raining down against him. It is notably about his choice to have played for Portugal instead of the DRC.
Makukula talks about a relentlessness against himself and explains that the choice to play for Portugal was part of a particular sporting context.
"The Portuguese nationality was athletic and belongs to the past. The essential thing is what I can bring today to our football. This has never called into question my attachment to the DRC,"
he said at a press conference.
The DRC, great regret of a life
The former Portuguese international also explained that he had started steps around 2005 to play for the DRC without success.
«I had joined the team, participated in training sessions and prepared for the match against Ghana at the Martyrs' Stadium. But an administrative matter at the level of FIFA prevented me from playing. It’s one of my greatest regrets,"
he confided.
According to him, technicians of the time, notably Claude Le Roy and Santos Muntubile, can testify to his approach and commitment to wear the Congolese jersey. Aziz Makukula also calls for the unity of footballers behind his application.
Cohesion and structuring on his manifesto
In his program, Aziz Makukula wants to build a structured Congolese football, ambitious and capable of competing at the highest continental and international level. With his experience as an ambassador of Congolese football for 7 years and president of the Alliance of Former Footballers, Aziz Makukula says he has acquired a thorough understanding of the realities of Congolese football.
'I have accompanied binational players, supported young talents, and observed the strengths and weaknesses of our system. Today, I want to turn these findings into concrete projects,"
he said.
So far, Aziz Makukula is the only one to have submitted his candidacy while the application period for the FECOFA Executive Committee has been extended until a date that will soon be specified.