I can fix Malawi football— Alufeyo Chipanga
Karonga United Chairperson, Alufeyo Chipanga, has said he is the right man to fix domestic football if elected Football Association of Malawi (Fam) president.
Last month, Chipanga launched his manifesto in Lilongwe ahead of Fam elective annual general meeting set for December 14 in Mangochi District.
He has emphasised re-organising youth football through enforcement of age restrictions.
“I am looking at under-15, 17, 20 and 23 age-bracket categories without tolerating age-cheating,” he said.
Chipanga said he intends to put more resources towards training coaches to international levels.
He said he would lobby the government to either waive taxes or reduce taxes for corporate organisations which support football teams at regional and Super League levels.
“The idea is to woo sponsors back to football by pumping massive resources towards areas such as prize money for teams in these leagues. For example I would like to see prize money for regional league champions destined for Super League increased to enable them cope with financial demands of competing in the top- flight league,” he said.
Chipanga said there was need to enforce Club Licensing System at regional league level to instill a culture of commercialisation before teams earn Super League promotion.
“And in regional leagues and Super League, I would enforce compliance with Club Licensing System protocols without exception. Any team failing to meet minimum requirements of the system allowing for participation in the respective leagues; will not be registered to take part,” he said.
Chipanga has proved to be a determined football administrator, running Karonga even without corporate sponsorship.
Karonga reached Airtel Top 8 final, losing 1-0 to Silver Strikers recently, having finished in the top-eight bracket on the TNM Super League log table last season.
So far, Fam president Walter Nyamilandu, the association’s first vice president, James Mwenda and former first vice president Moses Mkandawire have declared their interest in contesting for the presidency.
However, Fam electoral body will have to scrutinise and confirm the candidature of the aspirants who are supposed to be over the age of 30, must not have been convicted in the last five years and must have served association football for a maximum of five years.
Some quarters have been against Nyamilandu standing again for a fifth five-year term, saying domestic football needs new ideas to improve. However, Fam constitution does not restrict him from contesting.
