Utter shock: Nominations stun FAM presidential aspirant, but still hopeful

Some Football Association of Malawi (FAM) presidential aspirants have expressed shock at not being nominated despite running what they termed as credible campaigns to persuade the affiliates.

With seven nominations out of the expected nine made, incumbent president Walter Nyamilandu has received six while Karonga United sponsor Willy Yabwanya Phiri has one.

The National Football Coaches Committee (NFCC) and the Super League of Malawi (Sulom) are the only affiliates yet to submit nominations for the December 12 elections.

Speaking in an interview on Wednesday, one of the aspirants, businessperson Ali Mwachande, said he was shocked that he had not been nominated despite reaching out to all affiliates.

“I am really shocked that no affiliate has endorsed me this far. I didn’t expect this because the campaign message I presented to them was so impressive. I feel let down,” he said.

Mwachande, who laid his election foundation on attracting more investors into football if elected, said he has not yet given up hope of contesting.

“I put my chances of being nominated at 50 percent.  Let us wait and see what the remaining affiliates have in store,” he said.

Another presidential hopeful, Owen Chomanika, who sponsors Chikwawa United, said he was surprised that he has also not received any nomination.

“The affiliates asked me to document my ideas and I did that by putting together a manifesto which I circulated to all the affiliates,” he said. “I am really surprised that nobody has endorsed me, but I am not disappointed.”

Chomanika also said he has not given up the fight, saying: “The remaining affiliates are among those I took my campaign to so I am still hoping to get a nomination.”

Asked why he thinks he has not yet been nominated, Chomanika said he suspected that the affiliates were not impressed with his manifesto which centred on improving football standards in the country.

Another aspirant, marketer Wilkins Mijiga, recently told the media that his not being nominated was a result of unfair nomination processes alleging that “affiliates were being forced to endorse some aspirants.”

However, soccer commentator Kim Kamau said those that failed to get nominations did not have a proper strategy.

“Most of them are not within the system, a development which made it hard for them to penetrate. They first needed to start at an affiliate level before eyeing the hot seat other than just coming from the blues.

“Then there were others who took it personal against the incumbent president [Nyamilandu] through mudslinging in the media instead of reaching out to the affiliates who are the voters,” observed Kamau.

Meanwhile, Nyamilandu has said that his majority nomination is just the beginning of a journey to retain his seat.

“It’s early days and this is just a head start. The race has just started. Our team will rest after the final whistle,” he said.

Meanwhile, Yabwanya Phiri says he is not intimidated by Nyamilandu’s dominance in the nominations.

“I don’t care about the incumbent’s dominance. It doesn’t bother me one bit. In fact I am very pumped up. I am the change that Malawians want,” he said.