Football Association of Malawi (FAM) president Walter Nyamilandu is vying for the post of Confederation of African Football (CAF) executive committee (ex co) member at the continental football governing body’s general assembly on July 13 in Benin.

A statement from CAF announcing candidates vying for positions at elections shows that the former Fifa Council member is among 11 candidates, including two from the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (Cosafa) region.

Nyamilandu: We must be bold to pursue our dreams to the fullest

The other candidates are Mokhosi Phillip Mohapi from Lesotho, Mohamad Ally Samir Sobha of Mauritius, Lazare Bansse of Burkina Faso, Gbezonde Kossi Akpovy from Togo, Augustin Senghor representing Senegal, Pierre Alain Mounguenguie from Gabon, Mutasim Gafar Sirelkhatim of Sudan, Magogo Moses Hassim from Uganda, Zefizer Djahid Abiedwahab of Algeria and Abdlhakim Alshlemani from Libya.

Nyamilandu, who by virtue of being Fifa Council member was also CAF executive member, said in an interview that he wants to “To galvanise our shared dream of advancing the beautiful game of football in Africa to change lives and become a force to reckon with around the world”.

He said he did not fully achieve this during his previous stints with CAF.

“I am seeking a full mandate of office, bearing in mind that my position as Fifa Council and CAF executive member was for a short stint,” Nyamilandu said.

He replaced former Ghana Football Association (GFA) president Kwesi Nyantakyi on the Fifa Council during CAF extraordinary meeting in 2018.

The seat fell vacant after Nyantakyi resigned from his positions at Fifa, CAF, West Africa Football Union and GFA after investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas exposed him taking bribes to influence the offer of an invitation of players to the national team.

But Nyamilandu failed to retain his position at Fifa after losing to Nigerian Amaju Pinnick during 2021 elections.

He said this time he is confident of convincing the delegates to vote for him.

Nyamilandu said: “I am ready for the challenge though it’s a tough competition. In life, we must be bold and have the will power to pursue our dreams to the fullest. Never say never lest we miss life-changing opportunities.”

On what gives him confidence that he will sway the electorate sstance, Nyamilandu said he has a plan.

“Once beaten, twice shy. We should learn to take failures in life as lessons to forge ahead. It all depends on how I will campaign this time around and what value proposition I am bringing to the table,” he said.

FAM is expected to go to polls in December, but Nyamilandu said his decision to join the CAF race is not related to the association’s elections.

“My decision has no bearing at all,” he said.

Soccer analyst Patrick Zgambo in an interview said Nyamilandu still has a chance to return to the CAF ex-co.

He said: “This is a total football man who you might suspect for once has a battle of his life at FAM elections in December 2023 and yet he still has the stomach for CAF ex-co in September 2023?

“On the face of it, he has the credentials, clout and football friends in both high and low football places, having got the nomination and having served at Fifa, CAF, Cosafa and ages at FAM. So underestimate him at your own peril.”

The CAF statutes state that the executive shall comprise the president; 13 members representing the CAF zones (Northern Zone, Western Zone A, Western Zone B, Central Zone, Central-East Zone, Southern Zone), a female member and six African representatives on the Fifa Council.

With the exception of CAF president, who is automatically be the vice-president of Fifa, the remaining nominated members to be elected may only be elected to either CAF Executive Committee or as a member of the Fifa Council. Each of the six zones, except for the Southern Zone, has two members in CAF executive Committee while Cosafa has three.

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