Top-flight football league clubs have given the Super League of Malawi (Sulom) the go-ahead to amend the body’s constitution and scrap some elected top positions, including general secretary (GS), treasurer and vice-GS.

Some of the clubs confirmed in separate interviews yesterday that they submitted their feedback to Sulom’s legal committee and agreed to the proposal because it is in line with football professionalism.

FCB Nyasa Bullets acting chief executive officer Albert Chigoga said:  “It is a welcome development to amend the constitution. There are certain sections in the constitution that do not align with modern football as such, we have done the needful.

“As clubs, we took a step towards professionalism and the league runners also need to do that. We agreed with the proposal because that is the direction we should take.”

Silver Strikers board chairperson George Kaudza Masina also said the proposed amendments are the way to go as they are in line with modern football set up and the current state of affairs.

Karonga United general secretary Ramzy Simwaka said: “Our club believes in adopting Football Association of Malawi’s arrangement, whereby individuals are employed at the secretariat to run day-to-day operations of the association while a set of three presidents and executive members are elected as overseers.”

He said they also want the position of Sulom legal adviser to be permanent instead of the current arrangement where one has to be elected.

Member of Sulom legal committee Chrispin Sibande, who is also a Silver Strikers board director, yesterday confirmed that they have finished receiving feedback from the elite league clubs on the proposal.

“We have gathered all the feedback from the clubs and after scrutiny, we will liaise with the Sulom executive committee on the next step,” he said.

In March, Sulom’s legal team gave themselves three months to finalise the proposed amendment process and clubs were expected to provide their feedback before endorsement ahead of next year’s elective assembly.

However, Sibande could not be drawn to comment on why it has taken seven months to

finalise the process.

The proposal is meant to transfer the responsibilities of the elected top positions to the secretariat, where the chief executive officer, head of finance and head of administration could be running the league’s affairs.

Sulom believes the constitutional amendment will align with modern governance standards and help the flagship league runners eliminate administrative political maneuver while establishing a highly professional, transparent and structurally sound governing body for top-flight Malawian football.

The proposal was made during Sulom’s last annual general meeting in Salima, where it was also recommended that Article 26 of the body’s constitution should be amended to provide for automatic transition from vice-president to president in the event of a vacancy.

In an earlier interview current Sulom treasurer Ali Mwachande said he was not worried with the prospects of his position being scrapped off.

“If it is good for football then so be it,” he said.