Anti- Corruption Bureau (ACB) has ordered Football Association of Malawi (Fam) to stop Central Region Football Association (CRFA) elections pending investigations on alleged corruption and bribery surrounding the nomination process.
The elections were scheduled for November 14 in Salima District.
ACB Director General, Reyneck Matemba, said they received a complaint over the process on Friday last week and had commenced investigations.
“We have written Fam and CRFA to stop the elections until further notice to give us time for the investigations. We have just commenced our investigations. We will strive to speed up the probe and will update the people of Malawi accordingly,” Matemba said.
The development means only Southern Region Football Association (SRFA) and Northern Region Football Association (NRFA) will go to the polls to elect new office bearers next week.
CRFA Chairperson Austin Ajawa was supposed to retain his seat unopposed as all the nine district committees had nominated him.
Ajawa confirmed receiving ACB’s restraint order.
“We have stopped all processes to do with the elections after receiving the order from ACB. We will be waiting for them to complete their investigations,” Ajawa said.
CRFA Vice Chairperson, Simeone Lijenje, is expected to defend his position in a race against Goodall Chinjoka.
Bernard Chiwiruwiru Harawa and Antonio Manda are expected to sail through unopposed as general secretary and vice general secretary, respectively, as they have no competitors.
Meanwhile, Treasurer Pyson Likagwa has withdrawn from defending his post due to personal reasons with Mike Tembo, Charles Selemani and Mwela Gondwe all lining up to unseat him.
Vying to contest for the association’s six committee member positions are Joseph Kamanga, Wales Kazonde, Esther Chirwa, Kondwani Kandiado, Winston Katendeni, a Mr Kampira, Felix Kholowa and Charles Chimanjamanja.
The country’s three regional football associations of North, Centre and South are expected to elect new office bearers next week.
However, the nomination process has been marred by irregularities with some district football committees claiming that the nomination list was not a true reflection of their wishes.
In the Northern Region, incumbent Chairperson Lameck Khonje is also expected to go unopposed after securing nominations from all of the region’s six districts.
The entire SRFA executive committee is expected to go unopposed after no challengers came forth to seek office.
