Silver Strikers Blow the Whistle on Malawi’s Officiating Chaos
Enough is enough — that’s the message from champions Silver Strikers after lodging an official complaint to the Super League of Malawi (Sulom) and the Football Association of Malawi (FAM) over what they describe as “disgraceful” and “biased” officiating in their 2–1 defeat to FCB Nyasa Bullets on Sunday at Kamuzu Stadium.
The Bankers are not mincing words. They claim Sunday’s result was manufactured by referee Mwayi Msungama’s poor decisions — and they want action, not excuses.
At the centre of the storm is a controversial penalty awarded to Bullets after what Silver describe as “insubstantial contact” between their goalkeeper George Chikooka and striker Chikumbutso Salima. Bullets’ forward Hassan Kajoke converted it, sealing the victory.
Silver insist that not only was the penalty soft — they were also robbed of a legitimate goal that “clearly crossed the line” but was ignored by the officials.
A viral video and photo of the disputed goal have flooded social media, with many fans crying foul and accusing referees of killing competition in the league.
Silver’s anger runs deeper than one match. They question why Msungama has been repeatedly assigned to officiate their matches in Blantyre — three-quarters of them this season alone.
“This is the same referee who gave a dubious red card to Misheck Selemani last season when we played Mafco,” reads part of their strongly worded complaint signed by CEO Patrick Chimimba.
To make matters worse, Silver say one of the assistant referees verbally abused their coach during the game — an act that underlines, they argue, the arrogance and lack of professionalism among match officials.
This is not just about Silver Strikers. It’s about a football system rotting under the weight of inconsistency, bias, and zero accountability.
Week after week, refereeing decisions dominate post-match conversations more than the football itself. Clubs, players, and fans are losing faith.
While Sulom and FAM talk of “improving standards,” the same names keep popping up — the same referees, the same controversies, the same silence from authorities.
Bullets acting CEO Albert Chigoga stayed true to the club’s PR script, saying:
“At Bullets we have a policy of not questioning the decisions of match officials. We’ll wait anxiously to see if the referee’s decisions can be overturned if that’s their wish.”
But even that statement carried an undertone of mockery — a reminder of how lopsided power feels in domestic football.
Silver’s frustration reflects a growing sentiment among top-flight teams: that officiation in Malawi is broken, and no one is willing to fix it.
If Sulom and FAM continue to turn a blind eye, the league risks losing its credibility entirely. Fans can accept defeat — but not daylight robbery disguised as “human error.”
Until referees are held accountable, every whistle will be suspect, and every victory will come with a question mark.
For now, Silver have taken their fight to the boardroom — but the real battle is for the soul of Malawian football itself.
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