Suleman pulls shocker : Ex-basketball star elected VP Super League of Malawi

Ex-Basketball star Daud Suleman pulled a shocker when he floored former Super League of Malawi (Sulom) executive member Gift Mkandawire in the race for the Sulom vice presidency during lively elections held at Crystal Waters Lodge in Salima on Saturdday, March 14.

Ranked a stranger before the elections, Suleman surprised his challengers for the post of Sulom veep when he scooped an overwhelming 30 votes against Mkandawire’s 18. Big Bullets official Gregory Madeya, who was also vying for the same post got a miserable five votes.

Before voting for the Sulom second man in-charge, delegates agreed to waive the voting process for president as there was no challenger for outgoing Innocent Goodwell Botoman, who retained the hot seat unopposed.

Outgoing general secretary Williams Banda also retained his seat after trouncing Silver Strikers general secretary Mike Tembo with 42 votes against 11.

There were also no challengers for outgoing vice GS Captain Thokozani Chazema and treasurer Tiya Somba-Banda, who also went in unopposed.

There was, however, a heated battle in the race for executive member posts with a total of 13 members vying for the five executive member posts. These included Alfred Lungu (14 votes), Aggrey Khonje (7 votes), Godfrey Makawano (6 votes), Lieutenant Colonel Elvis Mwase (5 votes), Charles Manyungwa (4 votes), Willy Josiah (4 votes), Nelson Ngalonde (4 votes), Owen Munthali (3 votes), David Gondwe (3 votes), Willy Phalula (2 votes), Laison Gowa Banda (1 vote), Joe Kazizwa Banda (no vote) and Geoffrey Tamutamu (no vote).

Lungu, Khonje, Makawano and Mwase made it after the first round of voting but Manyungwa, Josiah and Ngalonge had to face each other in a second round of voting which saw Manyungwa and the son to Epac sponsor Dini Josiah Banda tied on 18 votes. After a third round of voting, Manyungwa triumphed with 26 votes against Josiah’s 23.

Presiding officer Fam executive member James Mwenda declared the elections free and fair before asking the new office bearers to go straight into business.

“One of the issues you have to tackle is the constitutional amendment. There are a lot of grey areas in the current Sulom constitution and you need to adopt a new constitution, which will be in line with Fam and Fifa statutes. If you do not amend and adopt a new constitution, you will not be allowed to attend the Fam elective AGM in December,” said Mwenda.

Botoman, who automatically becomes a Fam executive member following his re-election hailed the delegates for entrusting him and his new executive board with the responsibility of transforming Malawi football within the next four years.

“We are going to do what we promised in our manifestos and from today we are going straight into business,” said Botoman.

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