TP Mazembe held its annual and elective general assembly in Futuka on Saturday and announced plans to expand the football club into a sports club while president Moise Katumbi will oversee a new role.

After several postponements due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Linafoot champions wasted no time to announce historic new changes which promise to change the landscape of sports history in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The lengthy executive meeting Katumbi was confirmed as the head of the club for the next three years after unprecedented success over the past two decades, however, with new responsibilities.

As of the 2020/21 season, Mazembe will now be known as Tout Puissant Mazembe Sports Club, in the same structure as Egyptian Premier League giants Al Ahly and Zamalek.

Scroll through the gallery to see the newly launched Mazembe store in Johannesburg

While Katumbi, who remains outside the DRC, was unable to attend the congress, his manager Frédéric Kintengie represented him and confirmed his acceptance of his future role

“Moïse Katumbi will lead the destiny of TPM for the next three years but with other orientations and ambitions,” he said on Saturday. “The Ravens boss takes control of the new co-ordination.”

The announcement comes as a surprise with Katumbi no longer involved in the day-to-day management of the football club as ex-vice president Malta Forest takes charge.

After being elected by 55 of the 67 voters, Katumbi will now assume the role of overseeing the expanded Mazembe operation with basketball, handball, volleyball, Tennis, Nzango (local sport) and cycling under its umbrella.

Mazembe will also have a women’s football team led by Jeff Kapondo, former president of the National Football League.