New sports minister Msungama promises to deliver amid high expectations

Newly-appointed Sports and Youth Minister Ulemu Msungama has promised to work to the best of his ability in order to develop  sports in the country.

Msungama said this in an interview after President Lazarus Chakwera announced his full cabinet Wednesday night.

“I am happy and ready to be a servant of the people. I can’t promise alot but Malawians should just wait and see,” said youthful Msungama.

“I have always been passionate about sports and for those who know me can bear witness,” added Msungama who is a Silver Strikers FC and Arsenal fan on the domestic and international scenes respectively.

He has also previously been  holding sports tournaments in his Lilongwe City South East constituency.

Meanwhile, there are high expectations from the sports fraternity.

Malawi Boxing Association of Malawi (MABA) General Secretary Elia Kamphinda Banda said he believes Msungama with his youthful age will deliver positive results.

“We are happy to have Ulemu Msungama as the new sports minister. Though we don’t have a track record of him being involved in sports, we believe that with his youthful age, he will possibly deliver” said Kamphinda Banda.

He therefore took advantage to remind the incoming minister about challenges the boxing fraternity has been facing for years that need urgent attention.

“We need standard boxing rings atleast three or four. We also want Malawi to be participating in various boxing activities across Africa and beyond just like other countries do” he said.

Meanwhile, sports analyst Higger Mkandawire has tipped Msungama to be ‘result oriented’.

The last time Malawi shined in a major international tournament is when the senior football team lifted the East and Central African Senior Challenge Cup twice in the 1970’s.

Since then, it was the 2010 African Cup of Nations qualification in 2010 which was hosted by Angola.