Prominent netball administrators were on Saturday shown the exit during Southern Region Netball Committee (SRNC) elections at the Blantyre Youth Centre.
Malawi Queens legend Judith Chalusa was elected chairperson after collecting 14 votes.
She outsmarted former Southern Region Netball League (SRNL) chairperson Khungekire Matiya and Florence Chakhaza by seven and12 ballots, respectively.
Little-known Abdul Gama is the only male member in the SRNC as he triumphed 15-7 over Kondwawaka Saka to claim the vice-chairperson position.
SRNL general secretary Annie Hanjahanja suffered a 16-6 defeat to lose her seat to Woget Stars player Rebecca Dulanya whereas SRNL vice-chairperson Isaac Chimwala tumbled 17-6 against Glass Bank Sisters’ team manager Veronica Chigaula in the race for vice-secretary position.
Former Malawi Queens’ players Elina Mapulanga and Jean Matola are now treasurer and vice-treasurer, respectively.
Dalitso Chinyama, Francina Chikagwa, Princess Mwakhwawa and Alice Ngwira were ushered in as committee members.
After the polls, Matiya and Chakhaza, who recently also failed to win the Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) presidency and vice-presidency respectively, accepted defeat and promised to assist the new executive.
Matiya announced that she would not defend her position as chairperson for the Blantyre Districts Nectball Committee (BDNC) next weekend.
However, Hanjahanja cried foul, saying the district chairpersons, who cast the votes alongside the outgoing committee members, were bribed by ‘certain quarters’ in the local netball arena to embarrass them.
“It was clear that some officials were [bribed] to vote against us,” Hanjahanja said.
