Parliament to table fans’ petition tomorrow
Parliament will tomorrow table the football supporters’ petition over the Flames form, the House’s Social and Community Affairs Committee chairperson Richard Chimwendo Banda has confirmed.
He made the statement yesterday when he confirmed receipt of the petition from a group of concerned football fans.
“We have indeed received the petition, which will be presented in Parliament this Thursday,” he said.
The petition, which the self-styled Concerned Football Fans in Malawi leaders Kalowe Ajasi and Henry Gome signed, requests Parliament to help “resolve issues concerning the Flames’ poor performance and inept Football Association of Malawi [FAM] leadership and coaching panel”.
Dated November 30 2018 and addressed to the Speaker of Parliament Richard Msowoya, Leader of the House Kondwani Nankhumwa, Leader of Opposition in Parliament Lazarus Chakwera, Chimwendo Banda and all legislators, the petition wants Parliament to “deliberate the issues and take appropriate interventions to save the national team and football in the country”.
Part of the petition, reads: “Having noticed gross incompetence on the part of Flames’ coaching panel and FAM leadership, coupled with a string of poor results for our beloved national football team and increasing cases of theft and fraud in football circles that goes unattended, we petition Parliament to deliberate and intervene in order to salvage our team.
“We believe as representatives of the people, who are not amused with the Flames’ performance and FAM leadership, you will come up with meaningful resolutions that will help eradicate the challenges and restore our football back to its splendour.”
In an interview yesterday, Ajasi, whose group rescinded recent plans to organise a demonstration against FAM president Walter Nyamilandu and Flames coach Ronny van Geneugden (RVG), said their latest move is more serious and professional.
Nyamilandu had not yet responded to The Nation’s questionnaire on the development at press time.
