…says Walter must fall…
He would have preferred a smooth ride in his 5th term bid for the Football Association of Malawi (FAM) presidency this year in December but if what he saw at Bingu National Stadium on Saturday is to go by, then he is in for more surprises.
FAM life president Walter Nyamilandu had a rude awakening at Bingu National Stadium on Saturday during the finals of Airtel Top 8 cup when some concerned Malawians protested against his decision to contest for the presidential seat for the fifth time.
Nyamilandu, who has been at the helm of the FA for the past 16 years, has all along insisted that he will not seek re-election but he surprised many when he told the media that his position on whether he will contest or not will be known in the next few months.
According to reports, the FA boss has been meeting affiliates to try to convince them to allow him to contest but his efforts have proved futile as he has been told to step down once his term of office comes to an end in December.
And on Saturday, some section of football fans who came to witness the cup final between Silver Strikers and Karonga United wore t-shirts written “Walter must fall” and carried placards with strong messages to the incumbent president.
It has also been revealed that football fans will not allow Nyamilandu to seek re-election, saying he has done his part and its time he paves the way for others to take over.
Earlier this week, Northern Region Football Association chairperson Lameck Khonje told one of Malawi’s newspapers that Nyamilandu’s decision is very unfortunate.
“Don’t you have on record what he said last time? It will be unfortunate if he changes this time around,” he said.
In the run up to the 2014 elections, the former Flames and Be Forward Wanderers defender promised Malawians that he would not contest again only to change tune before being re-elected again in the controversial polls in which his opponents Willy Yabwanya Phiri and Wilkins Mijiga obtained an injunction before pulling out.
The FA boss is a member of FIFA Council and an executive committee member of the Confederation of African Football and Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (Cosafa).
