Football Association of Malawi (Fam) president Fleetwood Haiya and Confederation of African Football (Caf) executive member Walter Nyamilandu have congratulated South African business magnate Patrice Motsepe for retaining the continental football governing body’s presidency unopposed.
Motsepe got the mandate to lead African football for another four-year term during Caf’s 14th Extraordinary General Assembly held in Cairo, Egypt, on Wednesday.
Writing on his Facebook page, Haiya extended his best wishes to all newly elected Caf executive and Fifa Council members.
“Congratulations to Dr. Patrice Motsepe on his re-election for the second time as President of Caf.
Warm congratulations to Feizal Sidat of the Mozambican Football Federation and Samir Sobha of the Mauritius Football Association on their election as Caf Executive Members, as well as Kanizat Ibrahim from Federation de Football res Comores for being elected as a Fifa Council Member from the Cosafa [Council of Southern African Football Associations] region. Wishing you all the success in your leadership roles as we continue working towards the growth of African football,” the Fam boss wrote.
Nyamilandu described the elections as a new era for Caf.
“A new executive committee has been elected to lead African football under the wise and dynamic leadership of Dr. Patrice Motsepe. As an integral member of the Caf Executive, I remain committed to working together with the new team to make the most of my remaining time,” he said.
Nyamilandu, who was elected Caf executive member in July 2023, said he has two more years of service.
“Our cycle is different from other members. I have just completed two years and I am remaining with another two years. I am honoured that I will continue working with Dr Patrice Motsepe who has just renewed his mandate for the next four years,” he said.
The former Fam boss is also a Cosafa executive committee member and previously served as Fifa Council member.
Ibrahim triumphed in a three-way contest that also had Sierra Leone’s Isha Johansen and Lydia Nsekera of Burundi.
The result means Ibrahim is the female African representative on the all-powerful Fifa Council.
She amassed 30 votes against Nsekera’s 13 while Johansen lost her place at Fifa after collecting seven votes.
Nsekere also previously served as a Fifa Council member and was trying to make a return.
Football Association of Zambia president Andrew Kamanga also failed in his bid for a Fifa Council seat, securing 19 votes in a poll of nine candidates who were competing for five places.
The polls saw six members getting elected to the Caf executive unopposed from other Caf regions.
But the case was different with the Cosafa region which had four candidates vying for the two seats on the council.
Elvis Chetty of Seychelles was among the contestants while Botswana’s Maclean Letshwithi decided to vacate his place.
Sidat received 45 votes while Sobha polled 29 against Chetty’s 26. Madagascar’s Alfred Randriamanampisoa pulled out before polling began
