Netball Association of Malawi (Nam) has issued a plea to Australia-based shooter Mwawi Kumwenda to consider featuring for the Malawi National Netball Team at the Africa Netball Cup 2025 next month.
Mwawi was not included in the squad after excusing herself due to family commitments.
However, the shooter has cleared the mist surrounding her absence from the Queens ahead of Africa Netball Cup 2025, expected to run from December 8 to 14 at Griffin Saenda Complex in Lilongwe.
Mwawi, through her manager and cousin Hlupikire Phiri-Chalamba, said the championship had coincided with her family’s relocation to Australia, thereby ruling her out of the tournament.
This is contrary to reports that Mwawi’s name was removed from the squad which the Queens technical panel submitted to Nam.
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Phiri-Chalamba said Mwawi excused herself from the continental championship due to relocation and family commitments
However, she said Mwawi would be available for other assignments, including the Commonwealth Games and World Cup.
“Mwawi was not omitted by the technical panel. She apologised for being unable to participate in the Africa Netball Cup, as the dates coincided with her family’s relocation to Australia, including her son’s scheduled vaccinations.
“As the primary caregiver to her son, she is unable to join camp at this time but she remains fully committed to representing Malawi and will be available for both the Commonwealth Games and the World Cup,” Phiri-Chalamba said.
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But in a twist of events, Nam General Secretary Yamikani Khungwa-Kauma said they had engaged Mwawi to feature for the Queens during the early part of the competition.
“Mwawi asked not to be involved on family grounds as they are relocating to Australia.
“However, we have engaged her to play some of the first games before she travels to Australia. We understand her grounds but we feel she can play the first games and then leave for Australia according to her itinerary,” Khungwa-Kauma said.
Meanwhile, netball pundit Neffie Kam’mata has advised the Queens panel to concentrate on the players who are present for national duty.
“The focus should be on how to improve the squad rather than concentrating on who is not available. Of course, we need her [Mwawi’s] services but there is nothing we, as a country, can do.
“In the meantime, we have a lot of youthful players in the team; players who are part of the rebuilding exercise and it is time to polish them up,” Kam’mata said.
The development comes after Mwawi returned to Peninsula Waves for the 2026 season.
Coincidentally, Mwawi was unavailable for the 2024 season following the birth of her child.
However, she left Waves to feature for West Coast Fever as a replacement player for Jamaican shooter Jhaniele Fowler- Nembhard.
