How Super League of Malawi (SULOM) was established; an abridged history

* Dedicated to the memories of Major Jambo, Hastings Kapenuka, Dean Pinto, Isaac Nyakamera, Rashid Nembo and Kaka Henry Chibowa

By Dr. Sunduzwayo Madise

On a day, many decades ago, I found myself in what would later prove to be historically dangerous company: two seasoned football administrators, and one idea that refused to behave.

Henry Chibowa, then secretary of Mighty Wanderers; Gaston Mwenelupembe, secretary of Bullets; I was Chairman of ESCOM Football Club. The venue should have been somewhere around Kamba — unremarkable in location, but momentous in consequence. The fuel was clear liquids; the conversation, even clearer.

I shared with them a thought I had been quietly researching and nurturing: why not a truly national league? A single, elite competition modeled loosely on South Africa’s Premier League. Agreement came swiftly — until reality intervened. The name Premier League was already spoken for by Blantyre’s elite league, and that was that.

The idea, however, had grown legs. The vision was to bring together the best clubs from the three top leagues of the time: the Southern Region’s Premier League, Lilongwe & Districts Football League, and Mzuzu & Districts Football League. A national showcase. Merit-based. No regional silos. After several meetings — some formal, many not—we concluded that it was time to move from dreaming to doing.

We settled on a name: Super League Association of Malawi (SULAM). Bold. Ambitious. Slightly provocative.

Before rattling too many cages, we sought counsel and legitimacy. We travelled to Zomba to present our “radical” proposal to Prof. Al Mtenje of University FC and Major Jambo of Red Lions. They listened carefully, asked the right questions, and — much to our relief — endorsed the concept, pledging their support.

Encouraged, we brought in Hastings Kapenuka, Dean Pinto and Gift Chakaka Nyirenda, a computer wizard. This became the core team of conspirators. I mean while the three of us as musketeers could be toyed with, who would dare impeach a university professor and a major of the armed forces?

Then came the delicate task of persuading the two giants of the game: Al Haji Rashid Nembo, chairman of Bullets, and ‘General’ Isaac Nyakamera, chairman of Wanderers. This required travel, patience, and diplomacy.

They were, understandably, cautious. Football Association of Malawi (FAM) loomed large, and no one was eager to start a civil war in Malawian football. Still, they agreed to give the idea the benefit of the doubt — provided we could convince the Lilongwe clubs.

Silver Strikers and CIVO stepped up and declared their support. Momentum was building. What we needed next was money — because even revolutions require a budget.

I approached Eddie Smith of MultiChoice and pitched the idea of a pre-season bonanza to launch the new league. Eddie, ever perceptive, saw opportunity where others saw risk. He agreed to sponsor the event, and so the MultiChoice Bonanza was born.

That tournament not only introduced the Super League to the nation, but I dare say provided the springboard that soon made MultiChoice a household name in Malawi.

At SULAM’s inaugural annual general meeting (AGM), leadership was elected. I became president; Hastings Kapenuka was vice-president; Henry Chibowa took the role of general secretary; Gift Chakaka Nyirenda became fixtures secretary; Dean Pinto was elected deputy secretary; Gaston Mwenelupembe served as legal advisor, with MBC United’s chairman Simon Itaye and ESCOM FC official Azikiwe Mussa Mbewe serving as executive members.

In time, leadership changed hands. Hastings succeeded me as president, and Henry later succeeded Hastings. The idea had outgrown its founders, which was always the point.

As for FAM’s insistence that Malawi could only have one association? That debate eventually led to SULAM being ‘dissolved’ and reborn as Super League of Malawi (SULOM), with the word ‘association’ quietly dropped.

But how we navigated that particular minefield is a story for the next chapter.

Dedicated to the memories of:

* Major Jambo,

* Hastings Kapenuka

* Dean Pinto,

* Isaac Nyakamera,

* Rashid Nembo and

* Kaka Henry Chibowa

Editor’s note: Dr. Sunduzwayo Madise — the former chairperson of ESCOM FC — is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Malawi (UNIMA) and served in the immediate past Board of Directors of Malawi National Council of Sports as chairperson. Under his watch, the Sports Council achieved a number of milestones, including the establishment of the Malawi Sport Award