Football petition tabling shifted to next week
The football supporters petition over the Flames form was brought before the Parliament on Thursday, but its tabling has been shifted to the same day next week.
The August House’s social and community affairs committee chairperson Richard Chimwendo Banda yesterday confirmed the petition appeared on the Order Paper, but it could not be tackled because there were a lot of business to be dealt with.
“All the remaining business, including the football supporters petition, will be carried forward to the next sitting on Thursday the following week,” he said.
On the Order Paper, it was stated that the honourable member of Dowa North was expected to present a petition on the “poor performance of the national football team, the Flames, and the poor leadership of the Football Association of Malawi [FAM].”
The petition, which the Concerned Football Fans in Malawi group’s leaders Kalowe Ajasi and Henry Gome signed on November 30 2018, requests Parliament to help “resolve issues concerning the Flames’ poor performance and inept Football Association of Malawi (FAM) leadership and coaching panel”.
It asks the legislators to “deliberate the issues and take appropriate interventions to save the national team and football in the country.”
Gome yesterday said the group is happy that the petition was brought into Parliament and is hopeful it will be tackled.
FAM president Walter Nyamilandu was quoted by Thursday’s edition of The Nation as having said that the country’s soccer governing body will respond through the Ministry of Labour, Youth, Sports and Manpower Development should the petition be tabled in Parliament.
Nyamilandu said: “As per protocol, FAM and RVG [Flames coach Ronny van Geneugden] will provide the necessary feedback to the ministry to clarify matters in Parliament.”
