Football fraternity mourns Chibowa

A dark cloud has engulfed the football fraternity following the death of Super League of Malawi (Sulom) first president Henry Chibowa.

He passed on yesterday at Mwaiwathu Hospital in Blantyre after a long battle with kidney failure, according to a family friend Gaston Mwenelupembe.

Tributes have been pouring in for Chibowa, who was also founding member of Sulom following the dissolution of Super League Association of Malawi (Sulam) in 2001.

Football Association of Malawi (FAM) president Walter Nyamilandu said the country had lost a football legend.

He said: “It is with a heavy heart that we have learnt of the passing on of the former president of the Sulom Henry Chibowa fondly known as ‘Kaka’. His sudden death has come as a great shock to FAM and the entire football fraternity.

“We have lost a great leader who played a tremendous role in the formation of the Super League to be such a respected and highly entertaining league. Further to that, he was also very instrumental in bailing out the Super League by securing sponsorship with TNM when it was on the verge of extinction.

“We cannot talk about the glory of the Super League without attributing its success to the late Henry ‘Kaka’ Chibowa. I had the privilege of working with such a passionate, committed, and astute leader who had the foresight of transforming Malawi football. He will forever remain a legend of Malawi football.”

Sulom general secretary Williams Banda said the nation had lost one of the country’s football greats.

He said: “We are saddened by the death of our first president and one of the founders of Sulom. Dr Chibowa is responsible for revitalising Sulom following the dissolving of Sulam.”

Chibowa played for University  of Malawi and Mighty Mukuru Wanderers where he rose to the position of general secretary after retiring from active football.

He then served as Sulam general secretary until 2001 when FAM dissolved the association due to maladministration.

Chibowa was then elected as president of the newly-formed Sulom, a position he held until he resigned in 2011.

Malawi National Council of Sports board chairperson Sunduzwayo Madise, who alongside Mwenelupembe and Chibowa founded Sulam, described his death as a shock.

He said: “My heart just skipped a beat when I read your post about his passing on. This is a sad day. I did not only work with him at Sulam, but together with Gaston Mwenelupembe, we were the brains behind the formation of Sulam. And the contribution he made to sports is forever immortalised through Sulom.

“And despite being a Nomad, he bought shares when Bullets started its commercialising venture. What a man. Sports has lost a giant. Football has lost a legend; I mourn him as a friend and as a colleague. But I also celebrate his life, hamba kahle mfwethu [Fare thee well brother].”

Chibowa is survived by a wife and two children.