Mary Waya spits fire
Fired Malawi national netball team care-taker coach, Mary Waya, has hit at Netball Association of Malawi (Nam) for using her as an excuse to clear the mess that was in the national netball team.
Waya was, during the week, reacting to Nam’s decision to sideline her after recalling veteran mentor, Griffin Saenda Senior, to head the Malawi Queens’ panel, with Whyte Mulilima being maintained as an assistant coach.
“I was surprised to learn through the media that I was not part of the technical panel. They were supposed to write to me, explaining the reasons why I haven’t been maintained. They were supposed to do an appraisal but they never did,” she said.
Nam sought the help of Waya when it was desperate for a coach after Saenda fell ill and Sam Kanyenda, who was appointed to take charge of the team, dumped the Queens in protest over the association’s decision to drop from the team star shooter Mwawi Kumwenda following her late arrival in camp.
The former Queens eagle-eyed attacker said this was the fourth time that Nam had pleaded with her to take charge of the team when the association was desperate.
“This is not the first time that I have been used like this. They always look up to me when they are in trouble. I was called as an assistant coach because the head coach was not feeling well. Then after the other coach [Sam Kanyenda] left, Nam pleaded with me to take charge of the team.
“I accepted the responsibility because it was an issue of national importance. Netball is also in my blood and that is why I took up the challenge. Of course, we lost nine [competitive] games but I was not to blame. It was my image that was damaged because I took an ill-prepared side. There were issues such as the Mwawi Kumwenda case that disturbed the side,” Waya said.
She said she would hold a press briefing to pour out her heart.
“Regardless of the team I picked, I think we lost with respectable margins. We missed the services of some key players and this contributed to our downfall,” Waya said.
Nam General Secretary, Carol Bapu, reserved her comment on the issue.
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