Queens off to Uganda for Africa tourney

Malawi national netball team leaves for Kampala , Uganda today with a promise to come back with the Africa Netball Championship title.

Coach Griffin Saenda announced his final squad yesterday which is a mixture of experienced as well as up and coming players.

In the absence of captain Caroline Mtukule-Ngwira and vice-captian Grace Mwafulirwa-Mhango, Thunder Queens defender Joanna Kachilika will lead the team with Jane Chimaliro as her deputy.

The squad also has seasoned campaigners Martha Dambo (Thunder Queens ) , Beatrice Mpinganjira (Tigresses), Jessie Mazengera Sanudi (Kukoma Diamonds), Thandie Galeta (Thunder Queens) and Bridget Kumwenda (Kukoma Diamonds).

Also making the squad are Wezzie Mzemba (Kukoma Diamonds), Colleta Mwalilino (Civo), Queens off to Uganda for Africa tourney Julie Sambo (Blue Eagles Sisters) and Alinafe Kamwala ( Kukoma Diamonds).

UK-based shooter Joyce Mvula is expted to join the squad in Uganda. Assistant coach Sam Kanyenda said they are ready to conquer Africa at the tournament.

“The team is in high spirits. We are expecting nothing short of silverware from the tournament,” he said.

Apart from MtukuleNgwira and MwafulirwaMhango, the Queens will also be without Australia-based Melbourne Vixens shooter Mwawi Kumwenda, Blue Eagles Sisters’ centre Takondwa Lwazi and Tigresses’ defender Laureen Ngwira.

But Saenda said they have confidence in the players they have picked. International Netball Federation (Ifna) has nine full members in Africa, namely Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe Out of these, six— Botswana , Malawi , Namibia , Uganda , Zambia and Zimbabwe have confirmed their participation.