NAM settles for Peace

Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) executive committee has settled for immediate past Malawi Queens coach Peace Chawinga-Kaluwa as caretaker coach as they work on hiring a permanent gaffer.

A source confided in the Weekend Nation that the resolution was made to ensure that there is someone to take charge of the team ahead of the 2023 Netball World Cup.

Said the source: “Hiring a permanent coach who will be on government payroll is a process which includes advertising the post and as they work on that, it was resolved that in the meantime, they will engage Peace to ensure continuity ahead of the World Cup.”

The source said NAM is planning to announce this in due course.

But NAM vice-president Chimwemwe Bakali could neither confirm nor deny the issue.

He said: “We have not finished consultations with relevant stakeholders on the recruitment of a permanent coach.

“However, we are going to make an announcement shortly on who will take care of the Queens for the time being.”

Last month, NAM general secretary Isaac Chimwala said they were uncomfortable to deploy a permanent coach without government’s assurance of paying the salary.

Government, through the Malawi National Council of Sports, recently gave NAM the green light to hire a permanent coach to guide the Queens at the global showpiece next year.

Chawinga-Kaluwa’s contract expired at the end of August this year.

For the first time, the Queens failed to qualify for the World Cup after slumping on the world rankings.

They were dislodged from seventh position by Uganda’s She Cranes, forcing the Queens to play in a qualifying tournament in which they came second under Chawinga-Kaluwa’s tutelage.