* Malawi has 2 other individual nominees in Sportsman of the Year with a Disability and Sportswoman of the Year with a Disability
* U-19 Girls cricket national team nominated for Team of the Year for the awards scheduled for May 24, 2025 in Zimbabwe
By Duncan Mlanjira
Tabitha Chawinga’s two accolades she won at the Malawi Sports Awards 2024 in February — Sportswoman of the Year and Sports Personality of the Year — have earned her the nomination for the African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region 5 Annual Sports Awards (RASA) scheduled for May 24 in Zimbabwe.
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Malawi has two other individual nominees in Sportsman of the Year with a Disability (Moses Misoya) and Sportswoman of the Year with a Disability (Taonele Banda) while the Malawi U-19 Girls cricket national team are nominated for Team of the Year.
Para-athletes Moses Misoya, Taonele Banda as well as the Malawi U-19 Girls cricket also won the same categories in the Malawi Sport Award 2040.
The 7th edition of the prestigious RASA awards gala is expected to be graced by Zimbabwe President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa to present the most prestigious accolade of the night — the Sportsperson of the Year Award, which Tabitha has been nominated for.
For the Sportswoman of the Year, Tabitha has been nominated alongside her fiercest competitor Barbra Banda of Zambia — who won the CAF African Women Footballer of the Year 2024, which Tabitha was nominated for but she missed out in the top three final nominations.
In his message announcing the nominees ahead of the awards gala, AUSC Region 5 Chief executive says the incentives through the awards “play a critical role in motivating athletes, coaches, and stakeholders to strive for greatness”.
RASA stands as a proud testament to our Region’s commitment to celebrating excellence and catalysing sports performance,” he said. “Since its inception, RASA has grown to become a vital platform that not only rewards distinction but also inspires innovation and commitment to high performance.
“The value of RASA across the Region is evident in the increased professionalism, enthusiasm, and ambition that national sports awards have ignited in each Member State.”
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He emphasised that the selection process for RASA “is meticulous and inclusive” that begins at member State national level, whose winners are automatically nominated for RASA — “thus ensuring that the best of the best across the Region are duly considered”.
“Once the national winners are confirmed, all Region 5 structures — including technical commissions and strategic organs — cast votes to identify the top three finalists in each of the 10 competitive categories.
“From there, a collegiate of 40 seasoned sports journalists drawn from all 10 member countries proceeds to vote for the overall winners. This robust process guarantees credibility, transparency, and regional representation.”
He added that there are two specific categories — the Confederation of the Year and the Country of the Year — which are decided differently by a panel of three respected adjudicators which has been tasked by Falcon Sedimo (former CEO of the Botswana National Sports Commission); Puisano Tsosane (former Director of Sport in Lesotho); and Colonel Charles Nhemachena-Rtd (former Director General of the Zimbabwe Sports & Recreation Commission).
Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa
AUSC Region 5 recognises President Mnangagwa, who is also chairperson of Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), for accepting to grace the occasion, saying his presence “underscores the strategic importance of sport in advancing regional unity and youth development” — thus he has been accorded to present “the most prestigious accolade of the night — the Sportsperson of the Year Award”.
“RASA continues to be a beacon of celebration and ambition in our Region,” says the CEO. “The growing excitement surrounding these awards has elevated performance standards and redefined the value of recognition in sport.
“This is indeed a reflection of our RASA theme: ‘Celebrating Excellence, Inspiring Innovation.’ Congratulations to all our top three nominees. You have already made us proud, and your journey continues to inspire the Region.”
Held at Sunbird Nkopola in Mangochi on February 28, other winners of the Malawi Sports Awards 2024 were bodybuilder Zacheus Phiri (Sportsman of the Year); swimming star, Tasunje Mkavea (Junior Male Sportsperson of the Year); karateka, Samantha Mwamodwe (Junior Female Sportsperson of the Year); cricket coach Gershom Ntambalika (Coach of the Year — beating netball’s Christina Mkwanda and football’s Peter Mponda while Best Executed Sport Development Programme of the Year went to Chess Association for it Chess in Schools programme.
For their excellent coverage of sports, journalists were also recognised in which Best Print award went to Times Group’s Mphatso Malidadi with the electronic category went Raymond Siyaya Jnr of Chanco Community Radio.
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