Malawian referee picked for Africa Championship finals

Malawi’s top women’s Fifa referee Bernadette Kwimbira Mzika has made the cut for Africa Women’s Championship officiating panel to be held in Namibia from 11 October to 25.

Kwimbiri Mzika is among 15 assistant referees Confederation of African Football has selected for Africa’s greatest women’s football showcase to involve eight countries hosts Namibia, Zambia, Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire in Group A while South Africa, Cameroon, Algeria and Ghana in Group B.

South Africa and hosts Namibian referees are among the countries conspicuously missing having been sidelined by the Confederation of African Football (CAF)   as the Malawian former national middle distance athlete puts the country on the map again.

The 32-year-old will be making a third consecutive appearance at Africa Women’s Championship finals after South Africa 2010 and Equatorial Guinea 2012 and is likely to have a chance for more tournaments with eight more years before reaching Fifa’s mandatory age of 40.

She becomes the third Malawian ever after Bestor Kalombo and Moffat Champiti to officiate at a continental competition and boosted her chance for World Cup duty after handling the final match at Youth Olympics held in China in August between hosts and Venezuela.

She handled the match alongside Zambians Gladys Lengwe (referee) and Mercy Zulu.

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