Plot to oust Sulom boss, GS: FA Malawi behind promotion, relegation mess

An undercover investigation by Nyasa Times online publication has revealed Football Association of Malawi (Fam) is behind the relegation and promotion mess at Super League of Malawi (Sulom), which was on Tuesday found guilty by a court of law of mishandling an appeal case by Dedza Young Soccer against promotion play-offs.

Suleman (middle) in Team Walter's camp during launch of Nyamilandu's manifesto.
Suleman (middle) in Team Walter’s camp during launch of Nyamilandu’s manifesto.
Botomani greeting Mijiga fans during the Fam elections campaign. Now faces wrath of Nyamilandu camp.
Botomani greeting Mijiga fans during the Fam elections campaign. Now faces wrath of Nyamilandu camp.

Since the stand-off between Dedza and Sulom started, Nyasa Times went undercover to establish the root of the problem and our investigations have revealed Fam is behind all the mess.

According to the findings of the undercover investigation, Fam has been using Sulom vice president Daud Suleyman and some officials from Malawi Defence Force (MDF) in Sulom executive to influence the Sulom executive not to promote Dedza Young Soccer, which finished above both Airborne Rangers and FISD Wizzards in the 2015 Super League season.

“People including you sports journalists are looking at this issue from the surface but there is more to it than your eyes can see. This is Part Two of the Fam elections saga. You remember Sulom supported and voted for an ‘opposition’ candidate during the Fam elections. This did not please the Fam leadership and the entire ‘Team Walter Nyamilandu.’

“Team Walter Nyamilandu has now embarked on an underground campaign to hit back at Sulom President Innocent Botomani, general secretary Williams Banda and treasurer Tiya Somba-Banda. The pro-Walter camp is considering both legal and non-legal means to get rid of the three and let Daud Suleyman take over the leadership of Sulom.

“With a large presence of teams from central region where Botomani and Banda operates from, ‘Team Walter’ feels it would be a bit difficult to succeed in the plot hence the push to have bottom-placed FISD Wizzards stay in the top-flight league. Peter Mponda (Wizards director) is aware of this and he has pledged to cooperate,” revealed a source from ‘Team Walter’ after being spoiled with the ‘hard stuff’ at one of the popular drinking joints.

According to the source, Plan B is to have more teams from MDF in the Super League as Suleyman is in good books with most of the teams from MDF. It has also been easy for Fam to penetrate Sulom using MDF officials,” said the source, citing an example of a Sulom executive member from MDF, Godfrey Makawano who, reportedly voted for Nyamilandu, reducing the league’s votes for Wilkins Mijiga from eight to seven during the Fam elective AGM in Mangochi.

The decision by MDF Sulom executive members to reject Botomani’s hand-picked candidate Masauko Medi and vote for Rashid Ntelera during the Fam elections is also one of the grounds Fam is using that MDF officials can help in the cause.

More sources approached by Nyasa Times’ investigative team corroborated the story, saying the plot dubbed ‘Tit-for-Tat’ is being handled in a ‘very systematic’ manner and the Dedza saga is just one of the approaches ‘Team Walter’ is taking.

Fam has refused to drag its feet into the Sulom mess with its chief executive officer Suzgo Nyirenda informing the media that the FA is under instructions from its legal advisors not to comment on the issue.

But Sulom vice president Suleyman, a staunch supporter of Fam president Walter Nyamilandu has been closely following the Dedza vs Sulom case at the Lilongwe High Court, where he has been present in almost all the hearings.

It is not clear who has been funding travel expenses for the Blantyre based Sulom veep as Sulom is presently in deep financial woes.

Both Botomani and Banda were not available for comment when Nyasa Times wanted to find out from them if they are aware of the plot to get rid of them from Sulom.

Meanwhile, Dedza Young Soccer have welcomed the Tuesday determination by High Court Judge Charles Mkandawire that Sulom should hear Dedza’s case but the club’s officials say they will have reservations with the presence of any member from MDF on the hearing panel.

“We will go for the hearing when summoned by Sulom but if there will be any member from MDF on the hearing panel, we will ask that member to honourably recuse himself as an interested party since there is a military team, Airborne Rangers involved in this set-up,” said an official from the club at the high court.

 

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napoleon
napoleon
7 years ago

No. 1 your comments make sense. Just to add, Dedza Young soccer finished the best relegated team because they had equal points with Mzuni only separated by points. What else is SULOM looking for?. That’s why they lost the first case in court. Does SULOM have a well trained lawyer? Cant he properly advise Botomani and his failures ?

EDDIE
EDDIE
7 years ago

My fellow soccer lovers,

In all fairness Dedza young soccer MUST be promoted to super league having managed to be at No 13 on league table.
Just like interview candidates, when a successful candidate does not turn up for a post, the next successful candidate is automatically called to take up the post.
The interview board never conducts fresh interviews again involving the same candidates within the same period.

mr fam vs sulom
mr fam vs sulom
7 years ago

Dedza, Airborne and Wizards were all relegated regardless of points they had. Play off is just the second chance. Better team were not relegated.

The best SULOM could do was to call for play off for number 2 from Northern, Central and Sothern leagues.

Game Changer
Game Changer
7 years ago

With Walter @ the helm of FAM, I dont think football will develop. Awa ndi anthu amene akutukwanitsa a Tumbuka osalakwa. Some Atumbuka are good koma ambiriwa aaaa sungaike patsogolo, awononga ndithu. One day all that will be water under the bridge. Inu osadabwa FAM imalandira funding from both FIFA and CAF koma daily kupempha funding ku boma, stupid ‘n useless leadership

golo
golo
7 years ago

Malawians -we always want to politicize everything.All this is just gossip with no grain of truth in it.Let us use facts and not try to antagonize our enemies to score some cheap points and settle some grudge.

flames of fire.
flames of fire.
7 years ago

THAT IS WHY WE ARE NOT MANOOVERING IN OUR FOOTBALL SYTEM. FAM IS ALWAYS THERE TAKING ONE SIDE TO BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE OTHER. IF MAYBE WE CHANGED THE DRIVER THAT TIME, TODAY WE COULD TALK OF GOOD PROGRESS WITH OUR POOR FLAMES. A SHOVERIWA UUUUUM! SATITANDIZA. MALAWIAN FOOTBALL WILL REMAIN THE SAME UNTILL THE STRUCTURES UP THERE CHANGE FOR GOOD.

Myao
Myao
7 years ago

And now with chilumbas withdrawal we will have to wait and see what happens next.

tuvitwana
tuvitwana
7 years ago

U MEAN PIPO CAN SINK SOOOO LOW COZ OF FOOTBALL??
MALAWI CAN NOT SURELY PROGRESS WITH LEADERS LIKE WALTER NYAMILANDU, I THINK THEIR LIVELIHOOD COMES FROM MPILA BASI, KUBA?? MY FOOT,,,,,

Man of God
Man of God
7 years ago

Yes, I agree, there is more than what meets the eye.

Joseph Chagoma
Joseph Chagoma
7 years ago

The Judge is right. I personally feel the issue of play-offs is unfair. Dedza should be promoted. Some argue that no team should get direct promotion in Super League coz all the three teams namely Dedza, Airborne and Wizards were relegated. I beg to differ. Isn’t the idea of play- offs trying to find the best team out of the three? But Dedza is already the best of the three for the following reasons: 1. All the three teams were playing in the same league, which means playing against the same teams and the same number of games (28). 2.… Read more »

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