Fam sets 3-term limit for president
Entry to Football Association of Malawi’s (Fam) Executive Committee is now ‘free-for-all’ as the association’s affiliates—meeting in Mangochi on Saturday—shockingly scrapped off the requirement of a minimum academic qualification.
The affiliates removed Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) as a minimum qualification for executive committee membership while also rejecting the proposal for a bachelor’s degree for the presidency.
Fam General Secretary (GS), Alfred Gunda, was not readily available for a comment yesterday but one of the affiliates—Southern Region Football Association Chairperson, Raphael Humba—confirmed reports of the drastic changes.
“The Fam GS is the one mandated to release the information from the meeting officially, but it is indeed true that, after a lengthy and heated debate, we have proposed these changes.
“We need to go for the standard practice at Fifa, Caf, Cosafa and neighbouring countries. We checked with their constitutions and there is nothing like a minimum academic qualification, but one’s competence and experience in football administration.
“We realised that during the MSCE era, Malawi football has not achieved anything. After all, we have players, referees and coaches who, after retirement, might want to gun for positions at Fam,” Humba said.
Another affiliate, who opted for anonymity, confirmed the changes.
“We have turned the proposals down because we feel they were targeting some individuals not to develop the game. We want everybody who has experience to be given a chance to contest,” he said.
Fam’s Legal Sub-Committee, headed by Jabbar Alide, among other proposals, suggested the introduction of a first degree as the minimum qualification for Fam president and his two deputies.
For the other posts, article 34.2 of Fam’s constitution stipulates that anyone vying for the association’s posts must possess a minimum of MSCE or its equivalent.
The Daily Times has also established that the affiliates proposed to, after 2019 polls, set a three-term limit for the association’s president. Fifa also introduced a three-term limit for its president.
Fam President, Walter Nyamilandu, is into the second year of his fourth four-year term. By 2019, Nyamilandu would have been at the helm for 15 years.
In August, Alide confirmed the existence of the proposals but added that affiliates would have a final say on the proposed changes.
“In this modern age of football, it is not only a game but football being business, the money-spinner, the centre of marketing and dispute; do we really want someone who has never attended formal education to manage football?” Alide wondered.
The gathering also agreed that Sulom should, as usual, be represented at Fam’s annual general meeting by eight members, including two from top two clubs from the previous season.
It was also agreed that Fam Executive Committee should comprise 10 members, of whom 20 percent should be women.
The proposed amendments will be adopted during the association’s annual general meeting slated for December
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