CRAVING FOR A BETTER AND UNDIVIDED FAM
By Joseph Kayira | 21 December 2023
A lot has been said about the Football Association of Malawi (Fam) elections. One of the revelations from that election is that when people want change, they will do anything to force you out of office. Walter Nyamilandu, the man who was at the helm of Fam for 19 years did not commit any known serious crime to be kicked out of the football association. Those who wanted to flush him out of the system, come rain or shine, said the man had been Fam president for far too long “as if he is the only one who is blessed with the knowledge on how run football in Malawi.” At least that is what his detractors were saying.
Those who did not like his legacy started accusing him of belonging to the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). Someone took a picture of the former Fam president standing by the roadside wearing something that looked like a blue DPP beret. It became fodder for those who were baying for his ‘blood’. One sports minister from the Tonse Alliance government was particularly full of bile and hatred. He confronted Nyamilandu. In a cabinet reshuffle afterwards, that minister was dropped.
Truth of the matter is, football is a lucrative business or undertaking. It is also in this beautiful game where politicians tend to reap fruits. DPP, MCP, UTM, UDF or whoever is in government would want their man or woman of influence to head institutions such as Fam. Political party supporters love football.
It was apparent that in this campaign Nyamilandu’s challenger had the blessing of the people who kept mentioning that blue beret. They want to gain a foothold in football. They want their presence to be felt in football.
All things being equal, politics should not blind people to forget the good things that Nyamilandu achieved as the top boss at the football association. During his time, the Flames, for that is what we call our national football team, qualified twice for the Africa Cup of Nations. You cannot take away that from Nyamilandu. There have been so many other positive developments in football that are associated with him. That said, it will be a waste of time to dwell on his weaknesses. None of us is 100 percent perfect.
If he performs well at Fam, he may also go the distance. The statutes have changed. He can only serve for two terms of office. His manifesto looks good. But what matters is to implement what he has promised. The very affiliates who turned their backs on Nyamilandu will be the very people who will also stun Haiya, should he derail the implementation process.
Affiliates can be unpredictable and in the words of one contestant, ‘they are serpents’ who will not vote for you even if you treat them to a lavish banquet. Stories are told of how candidates buy off affiliates with huge sums of money and expensive gifts. Again, at this point, we will treat such stories as mere rumours.
Conceding defeat, Nyamilandu said: “Today is my last day in serving the beautiful game of football in Malawi as President of Fam. I am happy to leave the stage in a better place than I found it. I would like to express my gratitude to Malawians for granting me the rare opportunity to lead Malawi football.
“Thank you for your support and collaboration in moving football forward. We raised the bar by achieving significant milestones that brought joy and pride to our nation. However, at this juncture, it is time to move on by leaving the legacy behind as well as bridging the gap mindset. In all things, we give thanks to God [1 Thesa 5:18.]. The old has gone the new is here [2 Cor 5:17]. As I bid farewell, I would like to wish the president-elect Fleetwood Haiya and his executive committee all the best in their endeavours.”
For Nyamilandu, we can only say, you fought a good fight and it is time to move on. For Haiya, we can only say, there seems to be goodwill from all over that you should deliver. This is not just about you; it’s also about the whole nation. Malawians want football to develop to desired levels. That manifesto needs implementation and time will be of the essence.
Perhaps the new president should be given an opportunity to deliver. He knows he has been elected on trust. He says: “It is my solemn pledge that I will not betray this invaluable trust, no matter the price. Allow me to applaud my predecessor Mr. Walter Nyamilandu for his service to the nation and to the game. You have laid strong foundations and I promise not to break them but to continue building a transformative super structure over it. I wish you all the best and hope you will always be available when we seek counsel in managing the game.
At the end of the day, we crave for a football association that will not dwell on politics of which football club a presidential candidate comes from – in this case Nyasa Big Bullets or Mighty Mukuru Wanderers. Or indeed, the political affiliation of a presidential candidate – in this case DPP or Tonse Alliance. This reckless tendency is what is threatening the future of football in Malawi.
To all of you, a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous 2024.
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