Council apologises to ousted CRFC members

The Malawi National Council of Sports has apologised to former Central Region Football Committee (CRFC) members it unknowingly made believe they could be welcomed back into the committee after serving their suspensions.

In the latest letter addressed to Fanuel Katengeza, Abridge Chunga, Asedi Manyozo, Bwanali Misi, Francis Gwaza and George Mussa, the council’s executive secretary George Jana admitted the previous June 6 2014 letter was rendered useless following the CRFC’s election of new office bearers in 2012 during the time the six were serving suspensions.

“We hope that the above is in order and allow us to apologise for any inconvenience that our earlier advice may have caused,” Jana wrote on July 9 2014 to the six through Mussa.

Chunga and Katengeza served their six-month suspension whereas the rest finished their one-and-half-year punishment last year.

Football Association of Malawi (FAM) suspended them for attempting to stop the association’s annual general meeting (AGM) of 2011. The officials were against FAM’s handpicking of the AGM’s delegates from the committee.

“We would like to advise on further information reaching us, that the Central Region Football Committee held a duly convened elective general meeting following realisation that following your suspension, its executive committee had fewer members remaining to serve against provision in its constitution which requires that only when the executive membership is eight or more, the said executive committee may not transact any business for and on behalf of the committee,” Jana explained.

He, however, said the ousted members are at liberty to contest for any position that might become vacant or indeed at the time that the committee may be due for re-composition or election.

On Friday, Mussa said he would comment after a meeting on Sunday as we went to press. The six officials will, unless they attach themselves to another football committee, remain inactive in football administration.

The Nation has established that the new entrants in CRFC executive which Austin Ajawa chairs are Daniel Mphepo as vice-chairperson, Ibrahim Kalonga hold the post of general secretary deputised by Winston Katendema with Pyson Likagwa as treasurer. CRFC committee members are Joe Mwase, Ben Namangwa and George Momba. Ajawa had consistently refused to recognise the members who the council had reinstated. Last week, FAM president Walter Nyamilandu said he not aware about the officials’ complaints.