Be Forward Wanderers Chairperson, Gift Mkandawire, has said his decision to step aside remains irreversible despite pressure from some stakeholders for him to continue.
Towards the end of the 2019 season, Mkandawire announced that he would not defend his position during elections which would take place before the 2020 season kicks off.
The Nomads boss had indicated that he would vie for an executive member position at Football Association of Malawi’s elections on December 14 in Mangochi but did not contest.
Mkandawire, who took over the club’s chairmanship from late George Chamangwana in 2017, said he was a man of his word and would not rescind his decision which he arrived at after thorough consultations with family and friends.
He said it was time to let others take over the running of the club and help it win silverware after finishing the 2019 season empty-handed.
“I do not understand why people still want me around after serving the club for many years in various capacities. I have done my part and there are others who can take over from me and maybe change things for the better.
“We are going into the new year without winning anything and there is no cause for celebration. If we won something, we would have been up and down merrymaking.
But things did not work out the way we wanted. So I feel it is time to move out after being there for many years,” Mkandawire said.
He said deciding against defending his position does not necessarily mean that he would completely cut ties with the Nomads family.
“I will be available to serve Wanderers in whatever capacity the new executive committee would want. I remain a Wanderers supporter and nothing will take me away from the team.
“I will be there whenever the club needs my services, but not in elected office. I have been chairperson long enough and it is time to move on,” Mkandawire said.
Wanderers supporters committee Chairperson, Melvyn Nkunika, said it was unfortunate that the running of the club had been left to Mkandawire only when several other officials were elected to serve in various capacities.
“We elected people who decided to leave the running of the club to our chairperson and maybe two or three other officials. This should not have been the case. All elected officials should have been playing their respective roles in helping to run the club,” Nkunika said.
He commended Mkandawire and board of trustees Chairperson, Rashid Gaffar, for bailing the team out of its financial mess on several occasions and asked other stakeholders to emulate the example.
“These officials led the way in expressing deep love for the club and life would have easier if there were several others doing the same,” Nkunika said.
Meanwhile, Nkunika has announced his intention to defend his position despite failing to inspire the Nomads to beat bitter rivals Nyasa Big Bullets during his tenure as demanded by fans during his election.
Gaffar declined to grant the Daily Times an interview, saying he was in Singapore and would make a statement on his return.
Wanderers lost the TNM Super League championship to Bullets by one point after taking a seven-point lead at one time.
