Soccer Followers Stay Away From Anti-Nyamilandu Demonstrations

Soccer enthusiasts in the City of Mzuzu shunned demonstrations organised on Wednesday aimed at frustrating the Football Association of Malawi (FAM) President Walter Nyamilandu from contesting in the upcoming elections slated for December in Mangochi District.

About fifteen (14) people, specifically notorious taxi call-boys from the Central Business District (CBD) were coaxed, and paid to carry placards containing vulgar information denouncing the incumbent FAM president.

In an interview leader of the Young Human Rights Defenders Network, Mervin Nxumayo could not rule out the possibility of the demonstration being limited and potentially orchestrated by a few individuals rather than being representative of the broader soccer following.

Ironically, the visibly confused-looking Nxumayo conceded that the current FAM constitution and statutes do not bar Nyamilandu from contesting again.

“Indeed, it’s ‘kind-like’ the FAM constitution does not bar Nyamilandu from contesting but we are concerned with the closure of Mzuzu stadium and the failure to complete the FIFA project at Luwinga,” Nxumayo said.

Surprisingly, no prominent supporter from any Super League teams took part in the demonstration which started from Katoto school grounds to the Mzimba-North District Commissioner’s Office.

Commenting on the development a Mzuzu-based ardent soccer follower Wisdom Mpeyama Gondwe castigated those funding and who led the demonstrations describing them as architects of chaos.

Gondwe said ignorance and envy are the root causes of some blunders that sometimes expose one’s intellectual deficiency emanating from greed.

“Unfortunately, some misguided people can accept to take part in demonstrations that could be avoided if one is conversant with the FAM constitution and statutes,” Gondwe said.

The ten-point petition, Nxumayo presented to Mzimba-North District Social Welfare Officer Lixon Ng’ambi who represented the District Commissioner only exposes ignorance calling for the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) to conduct the elections when FAM elections are usually conducted in compliance with FIFA statutes.

Efforts to seek views of Nyamilandu on the demonstration proved futile since he has travelled to Cairo, Egypt where he is attending equally important CAF/FIFA symposia.