Why Mwawi didn’t come
The Malawi Queens should forget Mwawi Kumwenda’s availability for mid-year competitions as her hands are tied to her Australia’s Peninsula Waves’ contractual obligations during that spell.
Waves administrator Shelley Haynes disclosed in justifying Mwawi’s conspicuous absence when the Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) hosted and surrendered the 2013 Africa Netball Championship on June 28 2013.
Queens coach Griffin Saenda admitted that Mwawi’s absence at the continental event weakened his charges as she has been Malawi’s top shooter in the last five years.
“Mwawi is contracted to our club at this time and she has commitments which prevent her from travelling to Malawi mid-season,” Haynes wrote in an e-mailed questionnaire response on Thursday.
Waves campaign in provincial Frankston and District Netball Association affiliated to Victorian Netball League (VNL) spanning from February to August, with June being the crucial phase, hence Waves’ stance.
“At the very least, she would be in jeopardy of losing benefits under her contract if she attended the championships [in Malawi], which include match payments, bonuses for finishing top of the Hot Shots Award (which she is currently leading) and also the Most Valuable Player Award,” Haynes added.
Mwawi’s initial contract of 2009 entitled her to $45 640 (K6.4 million) in money and services offered for the seven-month duration, including $100 for each of the 22 games she featured in, a return air ticket of $5 500, $12 000 meals and accommodation fee and $2 000 for expenses such as uniform and registration.
Part of the reason for Mwawi’s absence is that NAM, Waves claim, delayed by three days on June 2 2013 in requesting for her availability in the championship which the Queens lost 54-52 to bitter rivals South Africa Spar Proteas.
“They asked her to be released from the 5th to the 23rd June without loss of pay. This was our first knowledge of the championships and to be asked within days of her being required was unreasonable,” Haynes explained.
In exceptional circumstances, Waves will release Mwawi, including in October when Malawi play Australia in test series and the Fast 5 Series in November in New Zealand.
On Wednesday, NAM president Rosy Chinunda confirmed that Waves communicated to her body on the reasons behind Mwawi’s absence.
“They indeed wrote us that their season was at a crucial stage, that they depend on Mwawi and gave us a breakdown of earnings she were to lose if she had come,” Chinunda admitted without explaining what NAM intends to do to make up for the shooter’s absence.
Saenda admitted during the continental championship that Mwawi could have offered the team a big difference.
Local fans openly wept at the Blantyre Youth Centre Court on June 28 as Queens surrendered the continental title to bitter rivals South Africa Spar Proteas after an extra-time 54-52 defeat.
International Netball Federation (IFN) development officer Joana Smit said NAM never consulted them when Mwawi signed for Waves, adding that her absence could be due to contractual obligations.
Mwawi Kumwenda is a very good player indeed, however, I fell The Queens’ problem in the just ended Championship, especially in the final match was not shooting. Cindie Simtowe and Joyce Mvula were just very good. I don’t think Mwawi would have made any difference at all in this game. Cindie played the whole tournament brilliantly and Joyce just missed it in her first game but later picked herself up. The coaches should strengthen the centre and defence. They should be able to at least ‘mark’ other balls which was not the case in the game against South Africa. We have, in Joyce and Cindie, a very effective attack, for now.