Chakwera garners support for Mwawi

Malawi Congress Party (MCP) president Lazarus Chakwera cast aside his political robe when he called on Malawians to vote for netball star Mwawi Kumwenda following her nomination for the Athlete of the Year by the International World Games Association (IWGA).

Mwawi’s nomination follows her extraordinary performance at the World Netball Championship in New Zealand last year where she attained a 91 percent shots on target and was crowned the Player of the Tournament.

And in reaction yesterday, an elated Kumwenda said she is excited by Chakwera’s support.

“It is a good piece of writing and source of motivation. I enjoyed it when I first read it this morning. I am happy that he has taken his time to drum up my support. And I thank him for encouraging others to vote for me,” she said.

In a Facebook post on Saturday, Chakwera, who chaired the Malawi National Council of Sports (MNCS) from 2007 to 2013, remarked that he had read, with delight, that Mwawi has earned a deserved nomination for the IWGA 2015 Athlete of the Year Award.

“Not only is this a cause for all Malawians of good will to smile, but an inspiration for each of us to look to the future with

hope that our present individual efforts are contributing to a prosperous future for all of us as a nation,” he wrote.

According to Chakwera, the fact that Mwawi is the only African among the 18 nominees from across the world means that she has so distinguished herself in the discipline of netball that her efforts are now being celebrated by people in other spheres of influence.

“Not only is this level of distinction something that we should rejoice in as a nation, but it is something we should each emulate as citizens in our own vocations and . What Mwawi has done is to raise the flag of our nation high, as we all should. She has not reached this level by waiting for handouts, nor has she done it by giving excuses to justify a wait-and-see attitude towards her own future,” he said.

Chakwera added that this level of excellence demands the kind of self-discipline, self-development, and self-determination that refuses to accept the popular notion that there are heights other nations can reach that are impossible for us to scale.

“Like her, we must obliterate the word ‘impossible’ from our mind-sets! If Mwawi can do it, we too can do it. On a personal note, Mwawi, I want you to know that your achievement has made me proud to be Malawian. I congratulate you on your great and consistent performance!” he said.

To Malawians, Chakwera said it is time to vote for Mwawi to win the award.

“She has done her part, so let us now do our part by voting and voting and voting, and spreading the word, so that she wins the award for Malawi! Let us vote today, vote tomorrow, and vote every day so that there is no part of the journey that she walks alone. Let us lift Mwawi higher because any nation that does not win together loses alone,” he said.

And concluded: “Proudly Malawian, I have already voted! Proud to be a Malawian, I will be voting every day!”