Article By: Lloyd M’bwana
In a rare case for the main opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) President Lazarus Chakwera left aside political bickering when he appealed Malawians and Africans to vote for the sole netball export Mwawi Kumwenda following her nomination for the 2015 athlete by International World Games Association (IWGA) slated for February 1, 2016.
International Netball Federation (INF) nominated Mwawi after impressing during the 2015 World Netball Cup in New Zealand where she was voted player of the tournament with thereafter the country’s leading telecommunication service provider, Airtel Malawi on Wednesday, January 6, indorsed the sole her as its company’s campaign Ambassador for the nation replacing Ivory Coast international soccer star Yaya Toure.
Mwawi is among 18 shortlisted athletes from a cross-section of sports discipline across the world whereby the general public through IWGA’s website, https://www.theworldgames.org/ will vote for an ultimate winner whose actual prize is yet to be known in due course.
According to INF secretariat had set up an extensive social media campaign to garner support for Mwawi a head of the voting window whose deadline is January 31 and the winner will be announced on February 1, 2016.
In a Facebook post on Saturday, January 9, Dr. Chakwera who once chaired the Malawi National Council of Sports (MNCS) from 2007 to 2013 expressed gratitude for Mwawi’s nomination saying the netball star deserved such an award which is inspirational for the nation’s pride future.
The MCP leader observed that Mwawi is the only African among the 18 nominees from across the world meaning that she has so distinguished herself in the discipline of netball as her efforts are now recognized and celebrated by other people beyond Malawi.
“On personal, note, Mwawi, I want you to know that your achievement has made me proud to be Malawian. I congratulate you on your great and consistence performance Not only is this level of distinction something that we should rejoice in as a nation, but it is something we should each emulate as citizens in our own vocations and what Mwawi has done is to raise the flag of our nation as we all should.
She hasn’t reached this level by waiting for handouts, nor has she done it by giving excuses to justify a wait-and-see attitude towards her own future.
“This level of excellence demands the kind of self-discipline, self-development and self-determination that refuses to accept the popular notion that there are heights other nations can reach that are impossible for to scale. Like her, we must obliterate the word ‘impossible’ from our mindset! If Mwawi can do it, we too, can do it”, delighted Dr. Chakwera.
Chakwera therefore urged Malawians and other African countries to vote the Mwawi to win the award saying the netball star has done her part and lest of the task remains to the nation and beyond.
“Let us vote for her today, vote tomorrow and vote everyday so that there is no part of the journey that she walks alone. Let us lift Mwawi higher because any nation that does not win together loses alone. Proudly Malawian, I have already voted. I will be voting every day”, urges Chakwera.
Mwawi thereafter received the message from Chakwera with excitement saying it was good piece of writing, encouragement and source of motivation that political figures have time to drum up her support.
Czech Republic’s Adam Ondra won the 2014 award after excelling in the sport of climbing.
The International World Games Association is an organization recognized by the International Olympic Committee whose aim is to develop the popularity of sports governed by its 37-member federations including INF. And IWGA’s objective is to conserve traditional values of sports through The World Games which take place every four years.
Vote for Malawian Mwawi Here
