Super League of Malawi (Sulom) executive committee has approved a decision by the league’s constitutional review committee for an immediate review of its statutes.
This follows a meeting the committee had at the weekend where, among others, it was resolved that the roles of the executive committee, especially those of the general secretary (GS) and treasurer, should be redefined following the move to hire a chief executive officer (CEO) and administration and finance manager.
In an interview yesterday, the constitutional review committee chairperson Chrispine Gwalawala Sibande said: “The new Sulom executive committee has approved the review of the constitution and the new president [Fleetwood Haiya] has shown commitment to the cause.
“Sulom executive recently approved the establishment of a secretariat, but the secretariat, headed by a hired CEO, is not provided for in the constitution.
“The current constitution says that management, control and administration of Sulom is in the hands of the executive under Article 19 and the elected GS is the head of secretariat and CEO.
“He handles all operations of the league as per the constitution under Article of 27. He is responsible for recruiting and dismissing staff members at the secretariat.”
He said as a result, the meeting resolved that the constitution should “immediately be amended by Sulom affiliates so that the secretariat should be headed by an employed professional CEO”.
Sibande said: “We can’t have an elected GS as CEO and then employ another CEO. This is what the new executive committee asked us to look at.
“Sulom also needs to redefine the role of its executive committee, especially the GS and the treasurer, considering the plan to employ professional staff at the secretariat.
“This is crucial as affiliates recently voted for a new executive committee.”
He also said during the review, they noted that the entire Sulom constitution needs an overhaul because of certain inconsistencies and clerical issues.
Sibande said: “There are also some tight provisions which do not give room for flexibility to change the period of doing certain things.
“The Sulom constitution also provides for the office of trustees and board of directors which is confusing. It says these directors, who are at the same time mentioned as trustees, are given powers to be responsible for recruiting staff members while the same constitution gives powers to the GS.”
He said as a committee, they will submit their report to the executive committee in order to call for an EGM so that the constitution is “urgently amended to facilitate the recruitment of the positions that have already been advertised”.
Sibande said the committee also reviewed submissions made by four clubs, namely FCB Nyasa Big Bullets, Silver Strikers, Blue Eagles and Kamuzu Barracks.
The committee also resolved to maintain Sibande as chairperson and recommended that Haiya and current Sulom legal adviser Solomon Mchawi be replaced as they are in the Sulom executive committee.
Other members of the committee are Chancy Gondwe and Christopher Njeula.
Meanwhile, Silver Strikers board chairperson George Kaudza Masina has hailed the resolutions, saying: “This is progressive in that the current constitution was in conflict with employing the CEO and having a fully-fledged secretariat.
“That they have agreed to call for an EGM to amend the constitution and accommodate the position of CEO is the way to go. At the same time, it will be essential to define the roles of the recently elected GS and treasurer as their positions might be in conflict with that of CEO and accountant which might be a recipe for disaster.”
On his part, Bullets chief administration officer Albert Chigoga said: “This is commendable. The move clearly shows that the incumbent Sulom leadership is walking the talk.
“As clubs, we have always bemoaned lack of a fully-fledged secretariat at Sulom and the EGM will put things into the right perspective.”
