Wilkins Mijiga teams up with Henry Chibowa
Football Association of Malawi (Fam) presidential candidate, Wilkins Mijiga, on Thursday unveiled former Super League of Malawi (Sulom) president, Henry Chibowa, as campaign team chairperson for the December 12 elections in Mangochi.
After being introduced during a press briefing in Blantyre, Chibowa said he was confident that his team would win because Mijiga has a good reputation in all sectors. The polls are scheduled for Nkopola Lodge.
“I wouldn’t have accepted to be part of this campaign if I doubted Mijiga’s chances of winning. We have prepared well for this election and all we want is a transparent and fair poll, not the way it was done in 2011,’’ said Chibowa, who lost to incumbent Walter Nyamilandu in 2011.
Chibowa alleged that there was a plot to hide delegates to the polls and render them incommunicado in the run-up to the voting day.
Speaking to the media before starting off for Lilongwe to launch his manifesto, Mijiga said it was important for the names of the voters to be known so that candidates know who to convince.
He said it was unfortunate that certain underhand tactics were being deployed to frustrate the electoral process.
“Malawi is a democratic country that thrives on transparency and openness. So why should anyone take us back to the dark ages? Why? Let me tell you that the Mijiga campaign won’t just watch as democracy is being stifled,’’ Mijiga fumed.
Mijiga then pledged that his team, once elected, would turn football into an industry capable of contributing to the country’s economic growth.
“It’s a pity that while football is big business in other countries, here in Malawi it’s a total village operation. We need better organisation at all levels. The face of Malawi football has to change,’’ he stated.
The duo then left for Chileka Airport to board a plane bound for Lilongwe where they were expected to launch the Mijiga manifesto last evening at the Lilongwe Golf Club.
Meanwhile, another candidate Willy Yabwanya Phiri, was reportedly intending to seek Lilongwe court intervention to press for the release of the voters’ roll.
Fam Electoral Committee chairperson, Justice Dingiswayo Madise, on Thursday clarified that Fam statutes state that affiliates are supposed to send names and photos of their delegates to a general assembly by registered mail some 15 days before the elections.
Madise said Fam secretariat has received a provisional list of delegates saying candidates who wish to see the list should contact their respective affiliates.
“It is expected that the final list of the delegates will be given to the Electoral Committee by the 10th December 2015 (48 hours before the General Assembly),” Madise said.
“Fam secretariat is expected to send a form to all affiliates which will contain the final list of the delegates for each affiliate. Fam secretariat is not expected to release a provisional list until the final confirmation is made by each affiliate.”
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