Wanderers backtrack

In a dramatic turn of events, Mighty Wanderers FC on Tuesday rubbished the main supporters committee decision to appoint a new executive committee.

 

The development came barely two days after the Yona Malunga-led supporters committee announced the dissolution of the committee led by Hannock Ng’oma and put in place a new one that had vice-chairperson Gift Mkandawire at the helm.

But Mkandawire and legal adviser David Kanyenda on Tuesday described the supporters committee’s move as unprocedural, insisting that the Ng’oma-led committee was still intact.

On Sunday, both Mkandawire and Kanyenda indicated that they had accepted their new positions as chairperson and general secretary respectively.

But speaking at a press briefing in Blantyre on Tuesday, Mkandawire, who was in charge of the Nomads for the better part of last season, said: “Following a meeting that we had yesterday [Monday], we would like to clarify one or two issues regarding the structure at Wanderers FC.

“From the last election that we had, there were some people that were inactive. So, we decided to ask the bigger Wanderers community [the supporters] on the way forward. We asked for suggestions on people they wanted us to include to fill the gaps. That process happened, but, unfortunately, the supporters jumped the gun by going to the press to announce what they deemed as a new executive without our approval.”

Added Kanyenda: “Otherwise, in principle we had been in liaison with the supporters committee.”

Asked if the executive committee was in control of the Lali Lubani Road outfit, Kanyenda said: “There might have been a communication breakdown, but yes, we are pretty much in control of the situation.”

But the Wanderers officials said they are likely to restructure the executive committee in the next few days to make it stronger.

“Elections are out of question because our tenure is still on [up to September.] There is not enough time to conduct free and fair elections.

“We have not fired anybody, but we will redeploy people shortly. If there are changes, you will hear it from us,” added Kanyenda.

He also said while the supporters have elective power, there is a limit to which they can influence policy administration.

Kanyenda further said the list that the supporters came up with did not have Ng’oma possibly because he has been inactive since he relocated to Lilongwe.

“Yes, he might not have been as active as we wanted him to be, but he is still in the committee,” he said.

Kanyenda said there is no intention to discipline the supporters committee because “disciplining is not always a solution”.

The Nomads U-turn comes a day after their former chairperson and current Wanderers Club board vice-chairperson James Chuma tore into the supporters leadership accusing them of flouting the constitution by coming up with a new executive without the blessing of the general assembly.

Apart from Mkandawire and Kanyenda, other executive committee members who attended the press briefing were acting treasurer Chiyembekezo Zidana and executive member Hubert Mfune.