Football Association of Malawi (Fam) has marked 180 days since new leadership took over affairs of the country’s football governing body by listing down some of its achievements.
In December last year, Fam delegates elected Fleetwood Haiya to replace Walter Nyamilandu as president during an elective conference held in Mzuzu City.
The delegates also replaced Jabbar Alide and Othaniel Hara with Christopher Kuyera and Lameck Zetu Khonje as first vice and second vice president, respectively.
The association has since released a list of achievements under the new leadership.
The achievements have been listed down in a document titled ‘Celebrating 180 Days’ with governance, administrative reforms, improvement of operational efficiency and the formulation and execution of Fam’s strategic plan being the areas of focus.
The other agenda areas are the creation of Eastern Region Football Association, empowering member associations, injecting commercial viability into football, improving financial resources for affiliated member associations, promoting beach soccer, improving refereeing standards and enhancing the capacity of coaches and scouts.
Fam also states that it has excelled in rejuvenating national youth football, sustaining Super League of Malawi (Sulom)’s success, initiating an infrastructure improvement and development programme, embracing technology for football development, developing Malawi football agenda 2063, building strategic collaboration for football development, Super League improved sponsorship package, women’s football development and ensuring safety and security in football venues.
The last three achievements on the list are investing in the country’s national football teams, ensuring that Malawi has competitive football and ensuring a spirit of excellence.
Fam former general secretary George Kaudza Masina said, during the 180 days, the new leadership has surpassed what was promised and anticipated by many.
“In all fairness, Haiya and team are walking the talk, fulfilling manifesto pledges within a record time. This entails that at the end of their term, we should expect total transformation of our football. The only danger is that they have raised the bar too high to be sustained over the years,” Kaudza Masina said.
He said while Haiya is excelling in many areas, there is a need to put in place measures aimed at improving the Flames’ performance as it will be one of the yardsticks for rating his performance.
“Much as Haiya has gotten all the praises in the short time he has been in office, to many this is nothing as at the end of it all; his measure will be on the Flames’ success. As such, he needs to invest more in the Flames’ success as it is the only thing which puts smiles on people’s faces and nothing else,” Kaudza Masina said.
Football analyst Frank Chakanga said Haiya has performed well in the first 180 days of holding office.
“Under Haiya, Fam has been transparent in the use of money that comes from Fifa and has conducted a capacity building exercise for its affiliates, thereby empowering them. Fam has also managed to buy vehicles for its regional associations and Sulom. Another big plus for Fam is that it has managed to lobby for gate collections’rate reduction so that teams can benefit more from the game.
“It is under Haiya’s reign that we saw Fifa president [Gianni Infantino] visiting Malawi after Haiya himself had requested him to do so when they met in Saudi Arabia. Fam has also facilitated the setting up of regional leagues in women’s football. These are some of Fam’s great achievements under Haiya. So in terms of rating, I would give his leadership 80 percent,” Chakanga said.
On areas that require attention, Chakanga said Fam should stop baby-sitting Sulom.
“It is common knowledge that Sulom president [Gilbert] Mittawa and Haiya worked together at some point and they have close ties. But it is high time Mittawa was left to steer the ship on his own. So Sulom should not have been among the affiliates that received vehicles because the body has the capacity to buy one on its own,” he said.
Haiya said he is grateful to stakeholders for helping him achieve his goals.
“I am extending my profound gratitude to all football stakeholders for giving me their support and I am pleading with them to continue supporting us as we are soldiering on,” he said.
