Women’s body speaks out on FAM nomination
National Women’s Football Association (NWFA) say they failed to nominate a presidential candidate for the Football Association of Malawi’s (FAM) December 16 Elections because its members were divided.
The committee’s chairperson Adellaide Migogo confirmed in an interview yesterday having nominated for the other positions except president.
She said: “The members were indecisive on who to choose between the two. In the end, we came up with a consensus that we shouldn’t nominate either of them.
“The good thing was that both had already been nominated by other affiliates.’
On whether they considered other options apart from the two, Migogo said there was no need as it was clear that the members were for the two aspirants.
Football analysts have since faulted NWFA for failing failing to nominate a presidential candidate for elections.
Football analyst Humphrey Mvula said the women’s association might have acted out of caution.
He said: “Possibly, they don’t want to take sides. This is a defining moment and they might not want to be associated with one of them. It could be because they are comfortable to work with either camp.
“But in a democracy, not choosing to take a position means you have actually taken a position because you might help a wrong candidate to ascend to a position or the other way round.
“Having said that, I would like to believe that they have a strategic plan which should have helped them choose a candidate.”
Another analyst Parry Chinyama said: “The women association is at logger heads with other influence or other forces.
“Surely, they ought to have nominated one. But maybe the quorum was at 50-50 vote as such, the decision not to nominate.
“The challenge will be who will represent them at the elections.”
The women’s body has nominated James Mwenda as first vice-president, Othaniel Hara as second vice-president, Daud Ntanthiko as executive member and Felister Dossi as women’s representative.
Meanwhile, all the affiliates have conducted their nominations and the presidential race will be between incumbent Walter Nyamilandu and Super League of Malawi president Fleetwood Haiya.
Nyamilandu got three nominations, two short of Haiya.
The battle for first vice-president will be between Mwenda and Madalitso Kuyera while Lameck Zetu Khonje and incumbent Othaniel Hara will battle for second vice-president.
Dossi and Mervis Mangulenje will tussle for women’s representative.
Seven nominees Chimango Munthali, Chancy Gondwe, Raphael Humba, Bernard Harawa, Daud Ntanthiko, Patrick Kapanga and Muhammad Selemani will battle for four executive member positions.
Ahead of the previous FAM elections in 2019, Nyamilandu got six nominations against James Mwenda’s two. Then, the National Youth Football Association did not nominate anybody for the hot-seat. After the polls, Nyamilandu triumphed with 23 votes against Mwenda’s 13.
In 2015, Nyamilandu received seven nominations while his contenders Wilkins Mijiga and Willy Yabwanya got one each. Despite Mijiga and Yabwanya threatening to withdraw from the race at the 11th hour, citing “too much irregularities” as the reason, Nyamilandu won the election after securing 27 votes against Mijiga’s seven and Yabwanya’s two.
