Mzuni stripped of league title

Mzuni have been stripped of the Simama Northern Region Football Association (NRFA) championship following FAM disciplinary committee’s decision to order a replay of their match against Kaporo Stars.

The decision followed a complaint that was lodged by Kaporo against NRFA’s move to award their rescheduled game to Mzuni, a development that led Mzuni to win the league after pipping Chilumba Barracks by a point.

In its ruling delivered on Tuesday, Football Association of Malawi (FAM) disciplinary committee noted that the root cause of the problem is lack of seriousness on the part of the NRFA in the way it runs the game.

“The committee is at pains to understand how NRFA could not provide officiating personnel for a big game which was a league decider. Further, the committee is worried with the manner it handled the protest by Mzuni.

“The committee [also] wonders how NRFA could order a replay without hearing the side of Kaporo Stars. To say the least, this was a blatant violation of the rules of natural justice. It is the panel’s view that by not affording Kaporo Stars an opportunity to be heard on the decision for a replay, the order was not justifiable,” reads part of the ruling signed by FAM general secretary Suzgo Nyirenda.

The FAM disciplinary body also stated that it faulted in Kaporo Stars for refusing to play the rescheduled match.

“In the end, we order that the decision by NRFA awarding three points to Mzuni is hereby quashed.”

The committee further noted that NRFA failed to provide competent and qualified officiating personnel to ensure timely kickoff of the game and generally to organise the match.

“We, however, must say that the situation has been complicated by the absence of neutral evidence during the hearing.

“First, the match report which was presented before the panel is to say the least questionable mainly owing to the fact that the referee who prepared it was an ex-Kaporo Stars player. It has also been noted by the committee that the said report was presented by Kaporo Stars, an interested party,” the disciplinary committee further observed.

“Second, we noted that the evidence from Kaporo Stars, Mzuni and NRFA could not assist the panel to arrive at a just decision as it mainly sought to advance the parties’ interests.

“In this predicament, the committee needs to tread carefully. The match report form submitted by Kaporo Stars during the hearing is not reliable. The evidence from the parties was also not reliable. We are, [therefore], of the view that there is no reliable evidence for us to determine whether the game on 27th December, 2014 ended prematurely or was played to the end,” the verdict further reads.

However, reacting to the verdict, Kaporo owner Alufeyo Kapanga-Banda said his team is not satisfied with the ruling and will appeal to FAM appeals committee.

“Our position is that the issues that we raised have not been addressed because the bone of contention was whether the match was played within the normal time and the referee testified that it was played within the required time and his testimony was not challenged.

“Further to that, the issue of referee’s qualification is irrelevant because it is stated in the league’s rules that in the absence of a qualified referee, the teams can agree on who officiates the match [regardless of qualifications] and the fact that Mzuni played, is testimony that they were in agreement. They only raised this issue because they lost,” argued Kapanga-Banda.

He also said the seven-day period set by FAM disciplinary committee is unrealistic as his team is currently off-season and it would be difficult to raise a team within such short period.

Mzuni chairperson Mtungambera Harawa refused to talk to this reporter.

“I don’t want you to know my reaction. In fact, I knew that it was you who was calling and that is why I was not picking up [at first], thank you,” said Harawa.

Nyirenda said Kaporo are free to appeal, “but they need to realise that it goes with a fee in  excess of K500 000 or so. As long as they do it as soon as possible.”

NRFA GS Alfred Gunda said the ruling had vindicated them.

“The ruling is testimony that we were right to order a replay in the first place because we saw that there was something wrong,” said Gunda.

However, he said he could not comment on FAM disciplinary committee’s observation that the NRFA lacked seriousness in the way they run the league.

And speaking on behalf of Sulom GS, treasurer Tiya Somba-Banda admitted that the case has the potential to affect the determination of  the 15th team in the top-flight league.

“Following the ruling, it means there is no champion in the North as at now until the replay is played, but if Kaporo are talking about filing another appeal, then we’ll have to see how we may proceed in consultation with FAM,” said Somba-Banda.