* Beats former general secretary Frank Chitembeya by 58 votes to 19 for the post of presidency
* Chitembeya was in the committee that Malawi National Council of Sports dissolved
* Following reckless abuse of office which Chitembeya himself was at the centre of
By Duncan Mlanjira
It has come to pass; Kondwani Chamwala’s dream team has swept all seats of Athletics Malawi as he is elected president alongside Dennis Phiri (as 1st vice-president); Ivy Chinangwa (2nd vice-president); Nicholas Kanyenda (general secretary); Charles Senti Banda (vice-general secretary); Adron Msowoya (treasurer) and Henderson Chilenga (vice-treasurer).
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Chamwala beat Frank Chitembeya the association’s former general secretary, who was in the committee that Malawi National Council of Sports dissolved following reckless abuse of office which Chitembeya himself was at the centre of.
Chimwala beat Chitembeya by 58 votes to 19 while Dennis Phiri beat Francis Munthali (61-16); Ivy Chinangwa beat Bertha Nyangulu (59-18); Nicholas Kanyenda beat Blantyre 42.195km Race organiser, Mzee Makawa (62-15); Charles Senti Banda beat Ken Phiri (51-26); Adron Msowoya beat Drake Chithambo (60-17) and Henderson Chilenga beat three contenders — Gift Chirwa, Ken Dzekedzeke and Leonard Dzanja.
The former Athletics Malawi committee was dissolved following leadership wrangles, mismanagement of resources and overstaying their mandate, which was in breach of the association’s constitution that forced Sports Council to oust the members.
But, led by Chitembeya, the committee was adamant, describing Sports Council intervention as government interference and as the infighting continued, Sports Council sought the guidance of World Athletics, which mandated CAA-SR to visit Malawi on a fact-finding mission to resolve the infighting.
In October, a delegation from CAA-SR, led by its president, Zakhele Dlamini from e-Swatini and general secretary Tselinso Pheta from Lesotho met Minister of Sports Uchizi Mkandawire, Sports Council, Malawi Olympic Committee and concerned athletics officials at Bingu International Convention Centre where it was announced that World Athletics had taken over to organise Athletics Malawi elections.
Chitembeya (left)
To take up the challenge, Chamwala set up his dream dream and in the preamble to his elaborate manifesto, he said for a long time, Malawian athletes have not made any significant strides both on the local and international competitions.
“The standards of athletics have continued to dwindle over the past decades,” he said. “What is most worrying is that the underdevelopment has taken place despite the country having a specialized body as an administrator of the disciplines.
“Chaos, disorganization, lack of foresight and focus linger amongst the major reasons why the sport remains in doldrums for decades,” he said, while describing that the management was undeniably man-made.
Chamwala is a communication specialist by training and is a proven passionate athletics administrator, adventurer and humanitarian philanthropist.
Chamwala, a passionate sportsman
Over the past years, he has demonstrated unquestionable experience in managing and organizing sporting that is but not limited to Mount Mulanje Porters Race — an annual event that incorporates tourism marketing and attracts international participation.
His expertise in strategic planning and resource mobilization are key to his unmatched dexterity and tenacity and having achieved so much in the area of managing athletes and athletics clubs across the country, Chamwala is an all-rounder in the athletics circles with loads of experience that includes organization of national competitions.
He is a well-qualified sports administrator who once served as a secretary for the Southern Region Athletics Committee and in his detailed manifesto, Chamwala pledged to spur growth, development and bring transformative movement that will change the course of athletics through his 5-point plan:
Agenda 1
Develop and implement Athletics Malawi strategic plan
It is saddening to note that Athletics Malawi has been running without any proper direction hence the failure to grow due to lack of radar. It is for this reason that I undertake to develop and implement a strategic plan to act as a roadmap which will help Athletics Malawi pursue its goals and meet set objectives through policy formulation and implementation.
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Agenda 2
Re-institute Athletics Malawi secretariat
For an organ such as Athletics Malawi to run without a formal and professional secretariat is not only clueless but utter incompetence.
I pledge that my ascendancy to the AM leadership will prove my resolve to re-institute AM Secretariat — an administrative and operational hub- by giving prioritizing it to run effectively and efficiently through the allocation of human and financial resources.
This being Athletics Malawi’s hub once re- activated and rejuvenated will run various marketing and commercial activities that will translate into more revenue for running of AM’s programs and projects.
With an effective and functional Secretariat, we will roll out capacity building programmes for officials and athletes. These will be in the form of trainings, short courses and refreshers to various committees.
Other areas that we will focus our trainings on will be investment, entrepreneurship and management for athletes and officials notwithstanding resource mobilization skills for committees and of course media training in athletics reporting.
Agenda 3
Facilitate partnerships with the corporate world
If we are to see athletics take a seat at the table of major sporting disciplines in Malawi there must be a deliberate policy in place to approach and get acceptance from the corporate world in form of partnerships and sponsorships.
This can be achieved by increasing visibility of athletics and its impacts by creating and demonstrating both its commercial and social value. Thus, with my coming to the helm of Athletics Malawi I will ensure that there is a new wave and renaissance in terms of branding, marketing and other modern scientific commercial approaches.
Underlying in this theme will be the promotion of transparency and accountability in order to give stakeholders confidence of our operational efficiency and integrity. We will also enhance our relations with members of the media to leverage on the space and its associated impacts.
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Agenda 4
Promote athletics and welfare of athletes
My goal is to promote athletics and the welfare of all athletes in Malawi. We undertake to give life and a human face to athletics by creating equal opportunities to athletes and officials.
We will create and promote independent, functional, national and regional committees. In order to motivate athletes, my leadership will lobby for improved prizes and fair distribution of the same.
During my tenure, I will facilitate the establishment of a welfare fund for athletes in Malawi. As a way of encouraging hard working spirit among our athletes and officials, we will introduce awards and recognition of individual efforts in athletics.
We will also promote athletics that is inclusive and participatory. It will be our high agenda to promote and conduct grassroot talent identification programmes in districts through regional committees.
By doing this we will ensure the sustainability of the sport that will permeate schools and communities.
Agenda 5
Broaden revenue base
Without financial sustainability we can hardly reach our goals as Athletics Malawi. For this reason, I plan to intensify locally-based resource mobilization strategies to increase revenue streams to the organization.
In this regard, we will establish sustainable fundraising initiatives that will help us be self-sustained. We will also institute investment strategies and amplify sponsors presence within the athletics realm.
We will hunt for funds in order to purchase a coaster for AM to ease mobility challenges. My leadership will ensure that athletics clubs are assisted in securing good but reasonable accommodation during competitions that requires travelling.
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