Kukoma Diamonds chairperson Isaac Chimwala has stepped down after some of the team’s players accused him of putting under threat the club’s relationship with their sponsors Capital Oil Refinery Industries (Cori).
This comes after Cori, through its sponsorship coordinator Violet Kapolo, set the removal of Chimwala from the post as one of the conditions for sponsorship extension.
Being part to the team’s sponsorship signatory and holding fresh elections were the other conditions set by the cooking oil manufacturing company.
Cori argued the decision to seek Chimwala’s expulsion follows “his claims that he sponsors Diamonds and [instead] Kukoma gets the limelight”.
But in an interview with The Nation yesterday, Chimwala, who is one of the team’s founding officials, said he has chosen to call it quits without explaining his side of the story to avoid creating further debate and confusion at the club he loves so much.
He said he will not seek re-election as it would create logistical challenges following his relocation to Lilongwe.
“In life, there are battles that one must fight. Unfortunately, this is not one of them,” he said.
“However, let me stress that only posterity will testify if I was in the wrong. Njira salimbilana, chikakula patuka.”
One of the Diamonds players, who asked for anonymity, explained in a sports programme on Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) Radio 2 yesterday that they have declared that Chimwala is no longer the club’s chairperson.
“I have come here on air on behalf of my fellow Diamonds players. We noted that our sponsors were reluctant to support us because Chimwala claimed to be the one financing the club. Therefore, as Diamonds players and officials, we make a declaration that he is no longer our chairperson,” she stated.
Meanwhile, Diamonds general secretary (GS) Chimwemwe Bakali has announced that the club will hold elections on June 10 and all positions of chairperson, vice-chairperson, GS, vice-GS and treasurer are up for grabs. n
