A petition asking Netball Association of Malawi (Nam) to call for an annual general meeting (AGM) has gathered momentum with all but two affiliates joining the cause.
On Tuesday, the petition had five signatories from Mulanje, Chiradzulu, Nkhotakota, Balaka and Mzuzu but, as of Thursday, 34 affiliates, minus umpires and coaches, had signed it.
According to the petition in our possession, all district officials and regional committees have joined the movement.
The petitioners’ chairperson Steve Nyadira said they were not targeting individuals but wanted Nam officials to live up to promises made before they were elected into office.
“The starting point is the AGM because that is where all issues will be discussed. We just want Nam officials to account for whatever they have achieved against what was promised,” the Mulanje Netball District Committee Chairperson said.
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Another member of the petitioners’ committee Ken Phiri said they are ready to take unspecified action through other stakeholders if Nam fails to call for the AGM in 14 days.
“We have sent them [Nam] the petition and now they are demanding that a hardcopy be submitted at their offices in Lilongwe. They are acting funny. This is not a fight, we just want them to solve the problems,” Phiri, who is Northern Region Netball Committee General Secretary, said.
The petitioners also want Nam to be holding an AGM every year as stipulated in the constitution.
Affiliates are also demanding transparency and accountability, sponsorship for tournaments and other activities and improved welfare for players.
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Nam General Secretary Isaac Chimwala said Thursday that the petition would be discussed at executive level.
In a letter dated April 20 2024, concerned affiliates raised various grounds for their petition.
“We pen this letter with a heavy heart, fuelled by the collective disappointment of netball enthusiasts across our nation. As concerned district netball chairpersons and other members of the netball community, we express our profound dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs under your leadership. The promises made during your campaign were mere words; they were a beacon of hope for our beloved sport. Regrettably these promises remain unfulfilled, casting a shadow over the integrity of our association,” the petition reads.
