Former Malawi football national team coach Kinnah Phiri has distanced himself from UTM. Kinnah says he has always been a member of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
In August, Kinnah was one of the delegates that spoke at a UTM rally that Vice President Saulos Chilima held in Mzuzu.
Kinnah who will contests for the Karonga South Constituency, joined active politics earlier this year. He faces another DPP MP, Malani Mtonga, for the parliamentary seat.
“People have known me as a sportsman; I have served my country with diligence in the sports sector. This is a continuation of serving my people but now in politics, so come 2019 I am contesting as MP for Karonga South Constituency which has remained underdeveloped for a long time now,” Kinnah Phiri had said.
“I know this will help in creating employment which is in line with the one million job creation manifesto of the mighty United Transformation Movement under our youthful and pragmatic president Dr Saulos Chilima who will also be the country’s president come 2019,” he said then.
It is not clear why the sudden change of heart. However, reports reaching Malawi24 indicate that Phiri who walked out of his contract with Botswana Premier League side, Mochudi Centre Chiefs, has been promised a government job as Director of Football in the Ministry of Labour, Youth, Sports and Manpower Development.
Confused person
Confused Kinnah