December 17 – Fleetwood Haiya (pictured) has been elected the new president of the Malawi FA (FAM), bringing to an end the longstanding reign of Walter Nyamilandu.
Nyamilandu, who sought a sixth term, was voted out on Saturday at the FAM presidential elections, beaten by Fleetwood 23 votes to 13. He reigned over Malawian football for 19 years having previously played for his country.
Once a FIFA Council member, Nyamilandu sits on the executive of the Confederation of African Football (CAF). Haiya previously served as the president the Super League of Malawi (Sulom) and rallied his base to dethrone Nyamilandu.
“Our new direction will be guided by the 15 goals outlined in our manifesto. These goals represent the pillars of our commitment to shaping a vibrant football ecosystem in Malawi,” said Haiya in his acceptance speech.
“They are not just aspirations. They are the building blocks of our journey towards a brighter future for Malawian football.”
One of the main criticisms of Nyamilandu was that he had overstayed as president of his national federation where he was one of the longest serving FA presidents in world football. During his presidency Malawi qualified twice for the Africa Cup of Nations. Nyamilandu claims the upgrading of national team facilities as one of his major achievements.
“One wins the other loses,” commented Nyamilandu. “It happens. I am moving out of office a happy person. When I came to FAM, there was nothing but as I am moving out of the office there is a lot that people can point at. I invested my resources and my life towards football development. I am hopeful that my successor will carry on the good work that I have left.”
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