By Duncan Mlanjira
Walter Nyamilandu Manda has launched his manifesto on Thursday evening at Amaryllis Hotel in Blantyre as he seeks to be given another mandate as Football Association of Malawi (FAM) ahead of the elective general assembly scheduled for Mangochi on December 14.
“First, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the confidence bestowed upon by the affiliates drawn across the country,” Nyamilandu said.
“FAM has thrived over the years because of the profound efforts registered by the affiliates in all walks of Malawi. In a very special way, I would like to thank all affiliates for the unwavering support rendered in the past years.
Walter Nyamilandu, current president
“Second, I would fail my duty if I forget to recognize the great support that we have received from international partners such as FIFA, CAF and numerous local sponsors with the desire and commitment to raise the profile of Malawian football.
“It has always been my personal desire to advance the standards of play to a higher level that will in turn attract more sponsors and thus foster accelerated development in Malawian football.
“Next, in a very special way I would like to recognize the wonderful confidence I get from the Flames players. They have always trusted in my vision to improve the standards of play.
“The recent performance for the national team is a testament that the numerous efforts to improve the standards of play in the Flames are now paying off.
Mwenda
“I am very pleased to announce my interest to stand for re-election in the forth-coming election to advance the agenda of raising the profile of Malawian football in pursuit to regain our regional dominance and become a powerhouse in Africa.
“I believe with the foundational efforts registered over the years, it is now time to football should be positioned as a viable economic in- dustry where it is run as serious business for the benefit of the larger community.
“Suffice to say it is now time for all stakeholders in the football value chain to reap real value from football and become self-sustainable.
“It is now time that football in Malawi should become a lucrative career where it creates wealth for players so they have a brighter future.
“In line to raising the bar, it is now time that the standards of play of football in Malawi should be improved so that it remains competitive against the rest of the world.
“It is now time that the technical and administrative arms of football are considered highly as catalysts to optimize value of the contributions to the game.
“It is now time to produce winning National Teams that can give profound joy and pride to the football loving Malawians.
“I am, therefore, counting on you to make the right choice for the interest of advancing football in Malawi.
“I implore you to elect me again as the President of the Football Association of Malawi as I pursue to ‘Raise The Bar’ with my proven leadership skills that has never disappointed you.
“Your trust and vote is all I need to secure the next term in office of FAM,” Nyamilandu said.
He is up against strongest contender, his vice-president James Leonard Mwenda, who already launched his manifesto on October 28 at a colorful ceremony held at Bingu International Conference Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe where amongst other things pledged to get the senior Malawi national football team to qualify for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations and that in 2031 they shall win the coveted for title.
He also said Malawi football requires special attention for its growth and development needs and that it requires to be re-engineered to grow to new heights so that it becomes an industry that supports millions of people while contributing to Malawi’s national development strategies.