Coaches body drags FAM to court

The High Court of Malawi in Blantyre will this afternoon hear National Football Coaches Association application for an order for its reinstatement as an affiliate of the Football Association of Malawi (FAM) alongside two other bodies pending determination of the court.

The other expelled members are National Youth Football Association (NYFA) and the National Football Referees Association (NFRA).

Representing coaches body: Kanyenda. | Nation

Court documents The Nation has seen indicate that the coaches’ body also wants to seek an imjunction restraining FAM from proceeding with its annual general meeting (AGM) scheduled for this Saturday at Sunbird Livingstonia Beach in Salima without the three expelled associations as full members, pending determination of the substantive claim.

The coaches body further wants FAM to reinstate the three bodies as its affiliates “with all associated rights, privilege, entitlements and benefits as were enjoyed by the claimant and all expelled members prior to the impugned resolution of 28th June 2025, including, but not limited to the right to receive communications, participate in FAM activities and be represented at the AGM”.

High Court Judge Allan Hans Muhome is expected to preside over the hearing.

In an interview yesterday, the coaches body’s lawyer David Kanyenda confirmed seeking the court’s intervention on the matter.

“Our expectations from the court are issuance of a formal injunction order compelling our client’s reinstatement and prohibiting the AGM from proceeding without the three expelled associations as full members, pending determination of the substantive claim,” he said.

In affidavits submitted to the court, the coaches body argues that the resolution purporting to expel the three bodies was done unlawfully and without prior notice on the agenda, written justification, giving them a right to be heard, and by open placard voting instead of secret ballot as required under Article 36 (4) of the FAM Statutes and that no two-thirds majority was verified.

The association says FAM sent them an invitation to the upcoming AGM which stated that they were being invited in their capacity as a key stakeholder in the football transformation agenda.

“The claimant argues that under the FAM Statutes, only members can vote and participate fully at the AGM; a “stakeholder” invitation confers no such rights,” reads the document.

Quoting Article 36 (1) of the FAM statutes, the coaches body also argues that an executive committee member or any member may place the dismissal of a person or body on the agenda for the general assembly.

It says: “We reiterate that dismissal of the above named three members was never part of the agenda for the general assembly. No advance communication or documents in relation to the dismissal was sent to the delegates as required by the FAM statutes.

“The dismissed bodies were not afforded an opportunity to be heard as required by Article 36(3). This denial of due process further invalidates the dismissal.”

FAM general secretary Abdul Furhan Chiwalo had not responded to our questionnaire by press time yesterday.

On the other hand, NYFA chairperson Tiyenkhu Chavura asked for more time before revetting with their position.

The post Coaches body drags FAM to court appeared first on Nation Online.