By Duncan Mlanjira
Elite FIFA assistant referee, Bernadettar Kwimbira is set to become Malawi’s first woman referee to officiate men’s 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier between Libya and Tanzania scheduled for November 19 in Tripoli.
She is among the six first African Female Elite Referees appointed by Confederation of African Football (CAF) to officiate men’s CAF AFCON matches in November.
This comes after Kwimbira became overall best among the 33 referees, who attended a five-day Confederation of African Football (CAF) Elite ‘A’ Women Referees Course in Djibouti.
In Tripoli, she will be the 2nd assistants referee with her compatriots Ishmael Chizinga as centre ref; Clemence Kanduku as 1st assistant while Gift Chicco will be the 4th official.
Kwimbira during the FIFA Women’s World Cup
2015 match between Thailand and Germany
The Zomba based referees said she is excited to be part of the new dawn for African Women referees.
“I was speechless when I received the communication from CAF because for so long women referees in Africa have been crying for this opportunity,” she said.
Kwimbi, who handles high profile elite matches locally, has assured Malawians that she will perform to the best of her capabilities to open doors for many women referees.
“The future of fellow women referees in Africa depends on the six of us that have been appointed for these qualifiers. If we do good, we open the doors for them.
“I have officiated more than 80 Super League games in Malawi and the laws of the game are the same throughout the world.
“So, I am ready for the task and I have no doubt that I will perform,” she said.
Kwimbira is Malawi’s most decorated referee having officiated at two FIFA Women’s World Cups, five Women’s AFCONs, One Olympic Games match, One Youth Olympics and FIFA Women’s Under 20 World Cup among other high-profile assignments.
The CAF Elite course in Djibouti brought together top African female referees from 24 CAF member associations and Kwimbira was the only Malawian representative.
She said she is pleased to have been named the best performer among the group of Africa’s best.
“I am very happy and I thank God for the achievement. This is not only good for myself but for Malawi football as well. There were so many good referees and it wasn’t easy to come out as the best.
“We had a two-day class session where we learnt laws of the game and we then had to interpret the laws on the field of play with practical sessions for 3 days,” she said.
Kwimbira has since urged her fellow Malawian female referees to keep on working hard and have self-discipline if they are to make it at top the level.
In 2013, Kwimbira also emerged the best performer at a joint Elite Men and Women Referees Course in Cairo, Egypt.