Malawi National Council of Sports has halted the recruitment of former FCB Nyasa Bullets coach Kallisto Pasuwa as Malawi National Football Team coach, saying the association did not follow procedures.
This comes after Football Association of Malawi (FAM) executive committee endorsed the hiring of the Zimbabwean tactician at its recent meeting held on February 1.
But in an interview on Saturday, Sports Council chief executive officer Henry Kamata faulted FAM’s hiring process.
He said: “They [FAM] wrote us informing us about their decision to hire Pasuwa and we have responded to them that since part of the incoming coach’s renumeration will come from government, then they will have to follow the normal hiring process.
“This means they need to flight an advert, short-list applicants and then arrange interviews to choose a successful candidate.
“That is how it ought to be, otherwise they cannot appoint someone for a public office as it will involve public resources. So, proper channels need to be followed.”
The Sports Council boss said the issue of the national team coach’s hiring was discussed during a meeting which the Ministry of Youth and Sports had with FAM.
The council’s stand comes in reaction to FAM’s letter dated February 5 in which it informed the sports-governing body about its intention to engage Pasuwa.
The letter, signed by FAM general secretary Alfred Gunda, reads: “During the first FAM executive committee meeting held on 1st February 2025, one of the resolutions from the meeting was to engage Mr Kallisto Pasuwa as the men’s senior head coach.
“This letter serves to inform your good office of the same and the request your guidance regarding the commitment for remuneration of the coach as we process the recruitment process.”
When contacted yesterday, FAM president Fleetwood Haiya said they had not received communication from Sports Council on the issue.
“We haven’t received any communiqué on the procedures in hiring Flames’ coaches,” he said.
During an interactive session with football followers on Facebook on Thursday evening, Haiya said Pasuwa had accepted an offer to become Flames coach.
He said: “We have agreed, but we haven’t signed the deal yet. We have put an intent.
“We are finalising issues of perks because there have been incidences where contractual issues have landed us in trouble.”
Pasuwa could also not be reached for comment yesterday, but his Zimbabwean representative Dee Shorai Muchineripi was quoted by The Herald newspaper of Zimbabwe as having said that they were hopeful of signing the agreement by the end of last week.
He said: “Negotiations are in progress and we hope that during this [last] week, an agreement would have been stuck.”
Muchineripi also claimed that his client was on the radar of several clubs in Kenya, Sudan and Tanzania.
The post of Flames coach fell vacant following the termination of Patrick Mabedi’s contract due to the team’s poor showing in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations’ qualifiers after four straight losses.
He was replaced by Pasuwa on an interim basis and the former Zimbabwe and Dynamos FC coach led the Flames to collect four points in their last two matches of the qualifiers after holding Burundi to a goalless draw away and thumping Burkina Faso 3-0 at home.
