By Edwin Mbewe
BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-Patrick Mabedi’s bitter fallout with the Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has ended in a dramatic courtroom victory after the Industrial Relations Court (IRC) ordered the football governing body to pay the former Flames coach MK53.7 million for unfair dismissal.
The ruling, delivered on Monday by Deputy Chairperson Wyson Chamdimba Nkhata at the court’s Principal Registry in Limbe, brings to a close months of legal wrangling following Mabedi’s controversial sacking in October 2024.
Although the former Malawi national team coach had demanded a staggering MK917 million in compensation and benefits, the court trimmed the award to MK53,686,500.00 — a figure that still delivers a major legal and financial blow to FAM.
Mabedi was hired in November 2023 on a lucrative two-year contract to lead the Flames, with hopes of reviving Malawi’s football fortunes.
But his reign came crashing down just 12 months later after a string of disappointing results triggered growing pressure on the association.
In a move the court has now condemned as unfair, FAM fired Mabedi on October 29, 2024 — just one day before he completed a full year in charge — citing poor performance.
But the court found that behind the dramatic dismissal lay serious procedural flaws.
Mabedi argued that he was never formally accused of misconduct, never summoned before a disciplinary panel and never given the chance to defend himself before losing his job.
The Industrial Relations Court agreed.
In an earlier judgement delivered on 9 March 2026, the court ruled that FAM’s actions amounted to both unfair dismissal and unfair labour practices, setting the stage for Monday’s compensation ruling.
The court calculated Mabedi’s monthly remuneration at MK10.7 million, combining his net salary of MK8.4 million with the monetary value of his hefty fuel entitlement of 350 litres per month.
From that figure, the court awarded him MK32.2 million for unfair dismissal — equivalent to three months’ pay — and another MK21.4 million for unfair labour practices.
However, the court threw out the bulk of Mabedi’s massive MK917 million claim, rejecting demands for severance pay, luxury vehicle benefits, air tickets, annual bonuses, gratuity, VIP medical aid, club membership and international travel allowances.
The court ruled that many of the claims were either unsupported by evidence, related to future benefits that never materialised because the contract ended early, or had already been covered within the compensation awarded.
The ruling now leaves FAM racing against time, with the association ordered to pay the money within seven days of the judgement.
Both parties have 30 days from 25 May 2026 to challenge the decision before the High Court.