Australia-based shooter Mwawi Kumwenda-M’bwana has excused herself from a late Malawi Queens’ call-up due to a “tight schedule”.
The Malawi National Netball Team technical panel recommended the veteran netballer’s call-up ahead of the Africa Netball Cup scheduled for December 8 to 14 in Lilongwe.
But the gangly shooter has said the dates coincide with her family’s relocation in Australia.
In an interview yesterday, Mwawi’s manager and cousin Hlupikile Chalamba confirmed that the 2015 Netball World Cup Player-of-the-Tournament is currently unable to join Queens’ camp.
“The dates have clashed with her family’s Australia relocation, which also includes her son’s scheduled vaccinations,” she said.
“As primary caregiver to her son, she apologises for not being able to participate at this time.”
However, she said Mwawi remains fully committed to represent Malawi in future engagements such as the Commonwealth Games and the Netball World Cup.
But Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) general secretary Yamikani Kauma yesterday said they will try to convince the player to still join the squad.
“We have arranged a meeting with Mwawi within this week to convince her to join the camp and play for the Queens before her relocation. The technical panel wants her services and we are hopeful she will accept,” said Kauma.
The multi-award winner recently signed with Australian club Peninsula Waves for the 2026 season and the Queens believe she can help the national team in the continental
showpiece owing to her vast experience.
Mwawi last played for Queens at the 2023 Netball World Cup in South Africa, where Malawi finished seventh.
The 36-year-old, who won the Australian Premiership with Melbourne Vixens in 2020, missed the 2024 season due to the birth of her first child.
The Malawi Queens star is the country’s first overseas netball export and is considered among the finest netballers from the continent.
She first became an overseas professional in 2011 when Waves signed her following her stellar performance during the 2009 Under-21 Netball World Youth Cup in Cook Island.
