Wanderers abolish supporters elections
Mighty Mukuru Wanderers have abolished the system of electing the club’s supporters committees which has been the norm at Lali Lubani Road for the past 60 years.
The resolution was made during the club’s board meeting held on March 30 at Crossroads Hotel in Blantyre which was chaired by its chairperson Thomson Mpinganjira, who doubles as president.
A statement issued on Sunday, co-signed by the club’s chairperson of chairs committee Clement Stambuli and board secretary Chancy Gondwe, reads in part: “The Supporters are further informed that following the incorporation of Wanderers supporters body into a limited company, there shall be no more elections into the various positions.
“Members shall only serve upon appointment by the board of directors.”
In view of the development, the Nomads board has since appointed new national and regional supporters committees.
According to the statement, the appointments are effective April 1 2023 to March 31 2024.
“The appointed members shall serve in their respective capacities for a period of 12 months,” the statement further reads.
In the appointments, Dinesi Chitsulo has been retained as chairperson for the national supporters committee while Witless Kanyemba and Chiuniro Chilambe have been appointed deputy chairperson and secretary, respectively.
In an interview yesterday, Gondwe, who doubles as company secretary of Mighty Wanderers Football Club (2021) Limited, said they expect the appointees to handle their positions “professionally and competently as we embark on our commercialisation drive”.
He said: “From now onwards, we shall have no elections. Members shall be appointed based on merit and competency.
“The appointment shall always take place after thorough consultations by the board members of Mighty Wanderers Supporters Limited.”
In an interview yesterday, Chilambe welcomed the changes, saying they will bring sanity in the operations of the team.
He said: “The winds of change are blowing at Wanderers and we need to move with the times as commercialisation is the way to go.
“The club is now part of a limited company and if we are to achieve the goals set by the board, then we need to move in the same direction.”
Chilambe also said elections were creating confusion, leading to emergence of camps.
“This used to affect the performance of the team in a way as others were pushing while others were pulling,” he said.
In the regional committees, Rodrick Chitedze has been appointed chairperson for the Centre and he will be deputised by Mike Kamanga while Bishop Chimwenje is the secretary.
Joseph Bolamoyo heads the Northern Region committee with Gift Mtawali as his deputy while Chiza Phiri is the secretary.
The Nomads have followed their age-old rivals FCB Nyasa Bullets and Silver Strikers who also did away with elected supporters committees.
Wanderers was registered as a limited company in 2021, ending an era of their status as a community team which spanned 59 years.
