Hon. Chiumia close this graveyard, there is no grace
It is extremely annoying that despite numerous calls from the media to dissolve Netball Association of Malawi (Nam) board, Sports and Culture Minister, Grace Chiumia seems to have stuck to the devil she knows.
It is not surprising that last week, both the ministry and Airtel Malawi Limited, who are the major sponsors of the Malawi Queens, asked Nam board to account for millions of kwacha, which were meant for various activities.
It is surprising that Malawi Queens have not yet been paid some of their allowances despite that netball enjoys massive sponsorship from the two entities.
Since the Nam board rose to power there has been little progress on the development of netball and, yet millions of kwacha are being pumped into the game.
Malawi Queen have dropped from the INF world ranking from position five to six in the world and one to two in Africa. This just speaks volumes on how chaotic our netball has become.
The nation is just recuperating from a series of scandals committed by the Nam board, which included interfering with the coach’s work up to World Cup, failure to resolve its long-standing issues with Queens’s top shooter, Mwawi Kumwenda, and also lack of transparency and accountability in managing its finances.
It would not be an overstatement if I call Nam rotten, allergic to accountability, disjointed, confused and a big embarrassment to the nation.
If one looks into their decorated faces with some make-ups and standing in well-cut miniskirts, it is as if they are telling you that Malawi netball was privatised long time ago and it is a club run by several good looking ladies so you can go and hang.
Almost two months have elapsed since I pleaded with the minister that heads must roll at Nam for the sake of preserving the integrity of the game.
Every time one walks past Nam board, you smell this rottenness in its administrative dealings. One, then, wonders why the nation should continue being subjected to this torture.
It is surprising that the government has just discovered Nam’s allergy to accountability now when government started sponsoring the organisation long time ago.
Every time we raised this issue, the minister pretended that she knew nothing and kept quiet. The minister should not be fooled that Nam would put its house in order; it will remain a source of confusion.
I am afraid that, at the rate we are going, it is Malawi netball that will suffer because no sponsor would want to be associated with such a Mickey-Mouse administration.
This board must be suspended pending investigations. I, therefore, repeat Madam Minister close this graveyard called Nam.
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