Nominations for Football Association of Malawi (FAM) opened yesterday with the association’s affiliates promising to conduct the process in  a democratic and transparent manner.

FAM general secretary Alfred Gunda yesterday confirmed having written affiliates to start nominating candidates for the elections to be held on December 16 in Mzuzu as stipulated in the association’s electoral code.

In an interview yesterday, Northern Region Football Association chairperson Lameck Zetu Khonje said they will discuss the nominations at their forthcoming annual general meeting on November 11.

He said: “We will hold our AGM in Karonga next week and the nomination is on the agenda. All our affiliates will send their representatives. This is where a decision on who to nominate for the various positions will be made.”

Southern Region Football Association chairperson Raphael Humba said their leadership will meet to decide when to discuss the nominations with affiliates.

“When I say our leadership, I mean the chairperson, treasurer and the general secretary. We will meet before the end of the week to decide when we can meet our affiliates,” he said.

Gunda: We have written them

Humba, who is also vying for the FAM executive member position, said some aspiring candidates already approached them for nominations.

He said: “But we want the process to be transparent and democratic. We would like those that are interested to contest for the FAM positions and want us to nominate them to come and make a presentation on why we should do so. What do they bring to FAM? Let them convince us.”

Beach Soccer Malawi chairperson Gift Chimbalanga also pledged to conduct the nomination in democratic manner.

“This is not just about me as chairperson. We have affiliates at beach soccer centres in the Northern, Southern and Central regions and they will all be involved,” he said.

“Right now FAM has just announced the beginning of the process. The first step for us is to meet all our affiliates and discuss our choice of candidates so that whoever we decide to nominate reflects what we have agreed.”

But Central Region Football Association general secretary Bernard Chiwiriwiri Harawa said candidates must first declare interest in public for them to be considered for nomination.

He said: “Look, we cannot nominate someone who has not declared interest to contest. Let all those who want to contest for the various positions come in the open.

“We will not nominate people in secret. They need to declare their interest first in public.  That is when we will sit down with our affiliates and decide who to nominate. Otherwise, we might nominate someone only for them to say they are not interested. As of now, no one has openly declared interest.”

In the past, there have been incidents of disagreements on who the affiliates should nominate.

Soccer analyst Charles Nyirenda said the affiliates should walk the talk on their promises.

“Let’s hope they will do as they say,” he said.

 So far, incumbent Walter Nyamilandu and Super League of Malawi (Sulom) president Fleetwood Haiya have been linked with the presidency battle although both are yet openly declare their interest.

Apart from Humba, executive members Muhammad Seleman, Felistus Dossi and Rashid Ntelera have already declared interests to seek re-election while Chimango Munthali and Christopher Kuyera are yet to decide.

Others hoping to get nominations for the executive member positions are former Mighty Mukuru Wanderers board member Ernest Maganga, Sulom executive member Daud Ntanthiko, National Football Referees Association chairperson Patrick Kapanga, Central Region Football Association member Chinjoka Gondwe, former Sulom president Tiya Somba-Banda and former Sulom treasurer Malinda Chinyama.

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