Kalilani calls on women to support football
Dowa legislator Dr. Jean Kalilani has called on women in the country to cultivate love for football as a way of helping the youth to keep away from mischief.
The ex-cabinet minister said this after watching Mponela United come from slumber to hold Blantyre United at the Kamuzu Stadium in a TNM Super League meeting.
“Any mother watching this should be happy as this is a way of keeping the youth from mischief. Apart from football, there is also netball [for women to follow]. I support Mponela and Maicc FC who are in the Premier Division,” she said when approached for an interview.
“I follow this team [Mponela]. This is my first time to follow the team in Blantyre but in Mponela, I do so often. I am actually a patron of the team. I wish that they should go all the way and remain in the Super League.”
Kalilani, accompanied by her son Limbani ‘Tay Grin’ Kalilani, made a one-handed wave celebration when Mponela’s Harold Mpima headed in the equaliser after break, cancelling out Osward Maonga’s 37th minute goal for the Elia Kananji men.
Unless when working as officials for football sponsoring companies, high-profile Malawi women hardly watch domestic football. Sometimes the women fear hooliganism. But in the last two seasons, there has been some semblance of gender balance at football patronage.
