The Industrial Relations Court (IRC) in Blantyre has ordered Football Association of Malawi (FAM) to pay former Flames coach Meck Mwase with K440 million as compensation for unlawful termination of contract, redeployment and constructive dismissal.
Delivering her judgement yesterday, IRC deputy chairperson Edna Bodole said this is the required pay for Mwase’s entire 36 months of his contract in the same or similar wage scale as former Flames expatriate coaches Romanian Mario Marinica and Belgian Ronny Van Geneugden (RVG), who were his successor and predecessor, respectively.
However, Bodole removed motor vehicle allowance, insurance cover, annual gold card membership and life insurance from the list of possible benefits that Mwase deserved.
At the time of his dismissal in April 2022, Mwase was receiving at least K1.7 million (about $1000) as his monthly salary while Marinica was getting $8 500 (about K14.7 million at the current exchange rate). RVG’s pay was at least $7 500 (about K12.9 million).
Mwase’s lawyer David Kanyenda, who was accompanied by the coach, said although the pay is less than their expected total of at least K518 million, they were happy with the outcome.
“It is good that local coaches should get such a fair justice from the courts when oppressed, considering that Mwase did well by qualifying the national team to the Africa Cup of Nations finals yet expatriates were getting good monies without bringing in the results,” he said.
“This is a satisfactory outcome that heralds a positive trajectory towards attaining social justice in the football industry, particularly on the coaching landscape.”
On his part, FAM’s lawyer Luciano Mickeus, who was with the association’s general secretary Alfred Gunda at the court, said they will discuss on whether to make an appeal.
“We will discuss with our clients on how we should go about the matter,” he said.
FAM fired Mwase with a year left on his contract in April 2022 at its executive committee meeting in Mangochi, where they replaced him with Marinica, who was initially the technical director.
Later, FAM redeployed Mwase as Under-23 national football team coach, but the coach turned down the offer and resorted to suing the local football governing body.
Mwase guided the Flames to 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals in Cameroon before being ‘demoted’ to an assistant coach as Marinica took charge of the team. Mwase was recently the head coach of Mighty Mukuru Wanderers.
