Reyneck Matemba’s departure won’t affect Regional FA’s investigations

The Anti- Corruption Bureau (ACB) has assured the football fraternity that investigations on regional football associations will not be disrupted despite change of leadership at the Anti-graft body.

ACB stopped all regional football associations elections pending investigations on alleged corruption and bribery surrounding the nomination process in November last year.

Outgoing ACB Director General Reyneck Matemba in November promised to speed up the investigations. However, Matemba’s contract expired last month and has been appointed as the country’s Solicitor General.

There were fears that Matemba’s departure would affect the investigations especially in football.

Matemba will continue working until the end of this month for proper handover.

But ACB spokesperson Egrita Ndala said the Bureau will conclude the investigations.

“As ACB, we work as a team so people should not get worried. The investigations are currently underway and the public will know the outcome once concluded,” she said.

In all the regions, the nomination process was reportedly marred by several irregularities.

In the Central Region, some district football committees claimed the nominated list was not a true reflection on the ground.

Football analyst George Kaudza Masina was also convinced that the Bureau would continue investigating the football cases in the absence of Matemba.

“I have trust in the system of ACB and I am confident that investigations will be concluded. Let us exercise a bit of patience because investigations require time,” he said.

Incumbent Central Region Football Association (CRFA) chairperson Austin Ajawa was supposed to retain his seat unopposed after former Football Association of Malawi (Fam) vice president James Mwenda did not get nomination.

However, after the stop order from ACB, Ajawa sought court intervention but he was rebuffed.

The High Court in Lilongwe dismissed two applications on an order of interlocutory injunction and for compelling the Respondent to provide the Applicants with the documents.

Southern Region Football Association (SRFA) chairperson Raphael Humba and Northern Region Football Association (NRFA) chairperson Lameck Khonje were also set to retain their seats unopposed.