FAM, supporters tussle over ‘Juju’ beliefs
Recent poor results and performance displayed by the Malawi national soccer team the Flames has forced the National Supporters Committee to push on the Football Association of Malawi (FAM) to consider including Juju experts in the technical panel.
In an article appearing in the Weekend Nation newspaper dated 14th September, 2013, the supporters committee believes the inclusion of the Juju experts will help in bringing positive results as most African teams use Juju openly which has become unbearable for the Flames when facing such teams.
“It is an open secret that we used to have such people on the technical panel disguised as goalkeeper trainers or team managers, now it is no longer that way that is why the team is not doing well, ” said a Kasito who is an Executive Member of the national supporters committee.
“Most of the opponents we face use Juju openly and we need people who know about zamakolo in the team to counter that,” added Kasito.
He also claimed that teams like Botswana, Kenya, DRC, Uganda, Rwanda and even South Africa use Juju openly without any embarrassment.
Kasito further said Juju helps to counter Juju threats from opponents and in the process confuse them.
Chairman for the supporters committee Zacharia Kasakula said the major role of supporters in the technical panel is to guide the coach and players on issues they are not conversant with.
“The coach should concentrate on training the team while supporters must protect the team from opponents scheming. There are a lot of things that happen prior and during the match which can best be tackled by ‘ma sapota odziwa za makolo’ [supporters who are knowledgeable in traditional medicine]. The supporter’s role is not only to cheer the team,” is he quoted saying.
But FAM through its General Secretary Suzgo Nyirenda said people do use Juju but doesn’t work as evidenced with the fact that no African team has ever lifted the glorious world cup trophy.
“People do use juju but it never worked as evidenced that no African team has ever won the world cup. What the team needs is stable partnership with the corporate world and support from stakeholders. On top of that, we need God’s guidance. That is the secret to success,” Nyirenda is quoted by the newspaper.
Former Flames legend Yasin Osman during his playing and coaching career, said heat times seen strange objects on the pitch and even see juju men in the field of play but has always ignored them because he believes in God.
He however lamented that he has always given freedom to those who believe in Juju in his team as their right but has also always warned them not to force or influence others to do the same.
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