Central Region Football Committee (CRFC) has new office bears following elections which took place on Saturday morning at Medeya Plaza in Lilongwe.
The elections come in the wake of fierce disagreements that rocked the committee’s leadership.
The assembly which comprised delegates from all the districts football committees in the Central Region, unanimously agreed to dissolve the previous committee to pave way for new elections.
Austin Ajawa retained the hot seat of chairperson after scooping 25 votes out of the 29 delegates who voted. National Youth Football League (NYFC) general secretary Alfred Lungu got one vote while Jumbe Mabo had 3 votes.
Former Flames and Silver Strikers goalkeeper Ganizani Masiye is the new general secretary after scooping 28 votes beating Ben Namanya who got a single vote. Masiye replaces James Mwenda who was elected FAM executive member last year.
Daniel Mphepo was elected vice-chairperson after amassing 25 votes ahead of Majidi Seleman who got four votes. Mphepo replaces George Mussa.
Pyson Likangwa retained the position of treasurer after beating Baleck Ulaya and Wales Kazonde.
Zodiak Broadcasting Station’s (ZBZ) Joe Mwase was elected committee member alongside Winston Katemba, George Momba and DC Kamuyambeni.
Presding officer FAM second vice-president Pikao Ngalamira described the elections as free and fair.
“All I can advise you is to work hard and develop football in the Central Region. Most of the faces in the new committee are from districts. This means that you have taken football to where it belongs—the grass roots,” said Ngalamira.
In his acceptance speech Ajawa advised the new committee to desist from mixing football with politics.
Lungu humbly accepted defeat.
“I decided to give it a try, but have noted that Mr. Ajawa is still popular because delegates have spoken. Let’s all support him for the good of the game in the region,” he said.
Ben Namanya secretary general of Kasungu District Football Committee who proposed to dissolve the committee and elect a new one said the reason was because the executive was left with only members.
“As such there was vacuum since the three could not form a quorum that could make decisions as per constitution,” he said.
“The banning of six CRFC executive members by FAM and the election of Mwenda into FAM executive committee left only three members which paralysed the operations of CRFC,” added Namanya.
