Yabwanya disqualified, it’s two horse race for FA Malawi presidency: Mijiga challenging Walter

As countdown to Football Association of Malawi (FAM) elections which will take place on 12th December 2015 at Sunbird Livingstonia in Salima continues, FAM Electoral Committee has disqualified one of the presidential candidate Willy Yabwanya Phiri and two others Paul Mzungu and Hubert Mfune on executive member posts, Nyasa Times can reveal.

The Electoral Committee which is headed by High Court Judge Dingiswayo Madise met Saturday to scrutinise names of all candidates if they met all requirements stipulated in the FAM constitution and FAM Electoral Code

According to inside source the committee has disqualified Yabwanya Phiri on grounds that he is residing outside FAM’s territory  (Canada) as the constitution says candidates must be residing within FAM territory

Nyasa Times can also reveal that Yabwanya who has been claiming ownership and sponsor of Karonga United is not the owner of the team as the team was founded by one called Mr Mwakhwawa with some people before it joined with vendors from Karonga market and it was called Karonga vendors till 2013 when it earned promotion into TNM Super League.

That is when people from Karonga thought of establishing trustee Committee to look after the welfare of the team. It is at this point when Yabwanya was roped in as a trustee of the team so too with Bishop Simama and Speaker Richard Msowoya.

The committee has also disqualified Paul Mzungu and Hubert Mfune on grounds that they were nominated without sending their profiles (track records) in football as it was also one of the requirement.

It is said the two profiles for them was not sent to the committee by the committees who nominated them as such the Madise led committee couldn’t do anything but to disqualify them

Meanwhile, the final list of candidates is expected to be announced after the period of seven days as the committee has written the three notifying them of their disqualification and give them seven days to appeal to FAM Appeals Committee which is headed by Supreme Court of Appeal Judge Lovemore Chikopa

When contacted for his immediate comment from Canada, Yabwanya said he will fight on as he represents the wishes of Malawians and he will not allow to be barred.

“Am just waiting for official correspondence then I will fight on. They have done that to me because am a big threat to Walter than Mijiga. He knows if I stand I will take him out. But for the sake of Malawi soccer I will fight with all I have got to be allowed to stand”, Yabwanya said

As it is now the full unofficial line up is as follows

Presidential Candidates 

Walter MacMillan Nyamilandu Manda
Wilkins Mijiga
1st Vice President
James  Mwenda
Tiya Somba Banda

2nd Vice President
Othaniel Hara
Pikawo Ngalamira

Executive Members
Rashid Ntelera
Daud Mtanthiko
Flora Mwandira
Masauko Medi
Alfred Gunda
Jabbar Alide