Malawi Olympic Committee clarifies AAM officials disqualification for polls
Malawi Olympic Committee (MOC) has said they disqualified Athletics Association of Malawi (AAM) President Godfrey Phiri to contest during the General Elections slated for Saturday in Mangochi because he did not follow the procedures for nominations.
Sources at MOC confided to Nyasa Times that Phiri nominated himself which is against the rules of securing nomination.
“The AAM President did not follow the procedures because he nominated himself and the requirement is that a prospective candidate should be nominated by an association that’s why the MOC Judicial Commission disqualified him,” said the source.
Phiri, who was shocked with the missing of his name on the nominated list of candidates MOC released on Saturday, was intending to run for the position of executive member.
“I applied for the position of executive member and and I don’t I have not been included on the list,” he queried.
AAM General Secretary Frank Chitembeya who had harboured ambition to contest for the position of Vice-General, was also disqualified for flouting the procedure just like Phiri.
MOC released names of nominated candidates with incumbent President Oscar Kanjala will go unopposed, his deputy Flora Mwandira face Basketball Association of Malawi (Basmal) Vice-President Ben Mlasaanthu, with incumbent Treasurer Jappie Mhango challenging incumbent Helene Mpinganjira.
Executive member Henry Sakala is assured of position after being the only one lined up to replace Mhango while former MOC Treasurer Laurie Arthur, Swimming Association of Malawi President Dean Pinto and Football Association of Malawi (FAM) Technical Director John Kaputa will fight for the position of Vice-General Secretary.
Pinto has also been nominated for the position of executive member alongside incumbent Jimmy Kadewere and Handball Association of Malawi General Secretary Dennis Kumwenda.
