By Edwin Mbewe
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-With the Football Association of Malawi (FAM) presidential elections still months away, incumbent Fleetwood Haiya is steadily tightening his grip on the race as endorsements from football affiliates continue to pour in.
The latest vote of confidence has come from Super League of Malawi (SULOM) president Brigadier General Gilbert Mitawa, who has publicly declared his personal support for Haiya’s bid for a second term.
Mitawa said Haiya deserves another chance to continue implementing his vision, arguing that the FAM president has transformed the game during his two-and-a-half years in office through transparent and accountable leadership.
“Currently, SULOM has not yet made its official endorsement, but on my personal capacity, I rally behind Haiya.
“The development of the sport has really changed its face and, for sure, his ‘Transforming the Game’ agenda is really working out,” said Mitawa.
Despite Mitawa’s backing, SULOM is unlikely to officially endorse any candidate anytime soon.
The league body is itself preparing for elections next year, which are expected to take place before the FAM polls.
Only after a new executive committee is elected will SULOM be in a position to openly declare its preferred candidate.
Haiya’s growing list of supporters already includes all four regional football associations—the Northern Region Football Association (NRFA), Central Region Football Association (CRFA), Southern Region Football Association (SRFA), and Eastern Region Football Association (ERFA)—as well as Beach Soccer Malawi, placing him in a strong position ahead of the highly anticipated elections.
While welcoming the wave of endorsements, Haiya was quick to remind his supporters that political declarations alone will not secure victory at the ballot.
“An endorsement is not a vote, so let me urge them to vote for me during the elections,” said Haiya.
As the countdown to December next year gathers pace, the race for the top seat at Football Association of Malawi is beginning to gather momentum, with Haiya emerging as the early frontrunner.
Whether the endorsements will translate into votes when delegates finally head to the ballot remains the question that will shape Malawian football’s next chapter.
