FAM to contest AGM proportion change
The Football Association of Malawi (FAM) constitutional committee is set to contest the Fifa proposed one-third requirement for affiliates to call for an annual general meeting (AGM), arguing that it could be prone to abuse.
An eight-member FAM team is expected to meet a Fifa delegation over two days starting today in Blantyre to review the FAM constitution.
FAM president Walter Nyamilandu said one-third affiliates proportion to call for an AGM and the 50-plus one voting system uniformity for the executive committee are some of the issues that will be discussed.
“Fifa are trying to standardise member associations’ statutes to conform to Fifa statutes. We have complied in most areas and they are coming for the final review to look at areas that need to be rectified.
“Our observation is that the proposal to scrap the two-thirds majority and replace it with one-third as a requirement for affiliates to call for an AGM could be prone to abuse because our membership is small.
“Our fear is that if it is changed to one-third, some members can connive and call for an AGM without a valid reason and it could be costly and chaotic. We are, therefore, saying 50 percent could be a reasonable quota,” said Nyamilandu.
According to the FAM president, once the review has taken place, the Fifa legal team will go back to draft the statutes and then send them to all affiliates for their perusal.
“Then we are planning to hold an extraordinary general meeting [EGM] next year for ratification.
“But there could also be some structural changes that Fifa wants to effect. There are also some statutes that Fifa adopted lately that we are not aware of that they would want to be included,” he said.
Apart from Nyamilandu, the FAM constitutional review team also comprises first vice-president Moses Mkandawire, executive member Jabbar Alide, Southern Region Football League’s (SRFL) Trouble Kalua, Sulom president Innocent Bottomani, Northern Region Football League (NRFL) chair Alfred Gunda, Alison Mbang’ombe and FAM general secretary Suzgo Nyirenda.
