Sports Council orders all associations to submit AGM evidence

Malawi National Council of Sports has ordered all sports associations to submit confirmations that they have held annual general meetings (AGMs) in the past 12 months or intend to do so by the end of the 2022-2023 financial year.

The submissions should be made by midnight of Wednesday, March 15, 2023 and that any association that fails to hold an AGM will not be eligible to access funding from the Sports Council and may be further sanctioned.

In a notice issued by Sports Council’s public relations & communications officer, Edgar Ntulumbwa says the Sports Council has noted with concern that some associations are not holding their AGMs “which is contrary to and a violation of their own constitutions”.

“The Council wishes to inform all sports associations that in line with their own constitutions, each association affiliated to the Council, must hold an AGM.”

Thus the Sports Council making the order for submissions of evidence having taken note that several of the associations’ executive members have overstayed their mandates.

Last month, when the Sports Council banned Athletics Association of Malawi (AAM) president Godfrey Phiri and general secretary Frank Chitembeya from taking part in, participating in and organizing any athletic events in the country, it was announced that a caretaker committee was constituted, led by Justice Kalembera, SC, which was to finalise the validation of the draft reviewed constitution in line with the Malawi National Council of Sports Act, Council Guidelines, and World Athletics Constitution.

Sources within AAM has been complaining that the association’s leadership had overstayed and that they were completely ignoring  Sports Council, citing government interference as justification for their defiance.

Two years ago, AAM suspended Chitembeya on several grounds including abuse of office and a vote of no confidence in him that was passed by the body’s executive committee during a meeting held on March 13, 2021.

The grounds of the suspension included open defiance and blatant disregard to AAM working rules and regulations and its constitution and working unilaterally without consulting the executive committee on critical issues affecting the corporate integrity of the association.

He was also accused of usurping the role of technical committee on athletes selection to international events as well as refusing to harmonise world athletics list of activities funded by the world body and was ordered to surrender all documents to the association’s president upon receiving the letter.

An internal audit report for 2017-18, exposed financial mismanagement at the athletics body in which about K50 million was unaccounted for.

But Chitembeya still bounced back as the association was in the process of amending its constitution, who held back the document till the end of its deadline for submission to Sports Council — forcing the country’s sports governing body, mandated by the Laws of Malawi, to intervene.

Just last month, Super League of Malawi (SULOM) held its elective AGM as mandated by its constitution that assured in Fleetwood Haiya as president, defeating the incumbent, Tiyanjane Somba Banda by 30 votes to 18.

Colonel Gilbert Mitawa retained his post as vice-president defeating lawyer David Kanyenda by 29-19 while Allie Mwachande and Gomezgani Chirwa became unopposed treasurer and legal advisor respectively.

Williams Banda retained his position as general secretary while Donnex Chilonga beat incumbent Lieutenant Flao Mwale by 28-21 vice-general secretary position.

Chimwemwe Nyirenda was the only executive committee member to retain his seat with Henry Banda, Akuzike Kafwamba, Daud Mtanthiko and Ronald Chiwaula taking up the other slots.

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