Malawi: Govt Commends Mncs for Malawi Sport Award Initiative - Urges Corporate Support

The Malawi Government has hailed the Malawi National Council of Sports (MNCS) for its prestigious annual Malawi Sport Award initiative, describing it as a vital platform for promoting sports excellence and instilling a hardworking spirit among athletes, coaches, administrators, and associations.

Minister of Youth and Sports, Uchizi Mkandawire, made the remarks during the sixth edition of the Malawi Sport Award ceremony held at Sunbird Nkopola in Mangochi, where 14 categories were recognized for their outstanding performances in the 2024 season.

Mkandawire praised MNCS for the consistency and professionalism displayed since the awards' inception, adding that the initiative is significantly contributing to the growth of sports in the country.

"As government, we are excited with the leadership at MNCS for their dedication to promoting sports. These awards serve as a motivational tool, and since their introduction, there has been a notable improvement in performance across various sporting disciplines," said Mkandawire.

The Minister, however, acknowledged the financial constraints facing the sports sector, saying government alone cannot meet the funding needs of all sporting associations. He, therefore, appealed to the corporate world to partner with the government to uplift various sporting disciplines.

"We are committed to providing resources and funding towards sports development, but government alone cannot do everything. We need the corporate world to partner with us to help improve sports at all levels," he said.

He further urged sports associations to demonstrate transparency and accountability in their operations, emphasizing that lack of seriousness and mismanagement discourages potential sponsors from investing in sports.

MNCS Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Henry Kamata, described the 2024 awards as one of the most competitive editions due to the rigorous scrutiny the nominees underwent.

Kamata highlighted the dominance of Cricket Malawi, which scooped three awards -- Team of the Year, Coach of the Year, and Association of the Year -- as a testament to the sport's rapid development in the country.

"Cricket's performance is a sign that the sport is making remarkable strides in Malawi. This should encourage other sporting disciplines to emulate their dedication and hard work," said Kamata.

He reiterated that MNCS remains committed to implementing its four strategic pillars: athlete development, capacity building for technical officials, infrastructure development, and governance promotion.

Cricket Malawi's Head of Operations, Arjun Menon, attributed their success to hard work and teamwork, pledging to maintain their momentum in the coming years.

"We are grateful for this recognition, which is a reflection of our hard work in 2024. These awards will inspire us to do even better in upcoming competitions," said Menon.

Among the other notable winners was France-based women's football star, Tabitha Chawinga, who claimed both Sports Personality of the Year and Sports Woman of the Year awards.

In the media category, Times Group journalist Mphatso Malidadi won Print Sports Journalist of the Year, while Electronic Sports Journalist of the Year went to Raymond Siyaya Junior.

Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) President, Vitumbiko Gubuduza, was named Sports Administrator of the Year, while Chess in Schools Program took the Best Executed Sports Development Program award.

Taonere Banda and Moses Misoya won Sports Woman of the Year with Disability and Sports Man of the Year with Disability, respectively, while Tasunje Kaveya and Samantha Mwamondwe were crowned Junior Male Sports Person of the Year and Junior Female Sports Person of the Year.

The 2024 Malawi Sport Award was held under the theme: Celebrating Sporting Excellence.

Read the original article on Nyasa Times.