FIFA president Gianni Infantino arrives in Malawi shrouded by mourning of Veep Chilima

* He plans to pay his solemn homage to President Lazarus Chakwera, the bereaved family and the nation at large

* He is also expected to have a meeting with Haiya and FAM executive committee before flying out to Zambia

By Duncan Mlanjira

Football Association of Malawi (FAM) announces the arrival of FIFA President Gianni Infantino into the country this evening for an official visit but shrouded by the mourning of the tragic death of Vice-President Saulos Chilima.

Earlier, FAM indicated that Infantino was expected to meet Chilima and now his initial programme has been revised with most of activities that were scheduled for tommorow have been cancelled following Chilima’s  tragic death.

Infantino was welcomed by FAM President Fleetwood Haiya at the Kamuzu International Airport in Lilongwe and FAM say the FIFA President plans to pay his solemn homage to President Lazarus Chakwera, the bereaved family and the nation at large.

He is also expected to have a meeting with Haiya and FAM executive committee before flying out to Zambia.

Infantino was scheduled to have visited Malawi in 2019 during his African tour but it was cancelled at the last minute after the private jet flying him and his entourage couldn’t land at Chileka International Airport due rehabilitation works on the main runway.

A statement the from Walter Nyamilandu FAM leadership said after carrying out a full assessment of the secondary runway, an advance team of FIFA aviation experts ruled out at the last minute that they couldn’t take a chance to land at Chileka Airport for safety reasons. 

Alternative efforts to have the plane land at Kamuzu International Airport in Lilongwe and use other means to transport the delegation to Blantyre were not successful due to the tight schedule of the FIFA President.

This is not the first visit of a FIFA president as former boss Sepp Blatter toured in 2002 to inaugurate the construction of what is now known as Mpira Village at Chiwembe in Limbe, which was under funding from his FIFA Goal Project.

Nyamilandu carried on with the project to what it is as a complex that has offices, a gym, accommodation hostels and the Mpira Stadium.

Meanwhile, Haiya, joins President Chakwera and the entire nation in mourning the departed souls of the Vice-President and those he perished with in the plane crash yesterday, describing him as “a visionary and transformative leader who placed the interests of the nation above his [and] shall be remembered for his enormous contribution to sports and football in particular”.

“Among others, Dr. Chilima played a crucial role as chairman of the fundraising committee that raised funds for the first-ever FAM Cup in 2005 when the country played the whole season without a corporate sponsor.

“He was also the chairperson of the FAM competitions committee and was instrumental in securing the Standard Bank Cup sponsorship in 2007.”

On its part, the Super League of Malawi (SULOM) has rescheduled to later dates the Week 10 TNM Super League matches that it released for this weekend in order to observe the 21 days of mourning.

In its eulogy, SULOM say it is shocked and saddened by the tragic demise of Chilima and all those who passed along side him in the plane crash.

“Our thoughts and condolences are with their families, friends, and the entire Nation during this difficult time. Dr. Chilima’s legacy will forever be remembered in our hearts.”