By Rahim Abdul
Emmanuel Mlauzi has been elected as the new Chairperson for the Southern Region Referees Committee, defeating outgoing chairperson Mwayi Msungama in a tightly contested election.
The elections, held on Saturday, drew referees from across the Southern Region, all eager to choose new leadership that will steer the committee toward greater professionalism and unity.
Mlauzi secured 29 votes, while Msungama managed 11, marking the end of her tenure at the helm of the committee.
In other positions, Fanuel Mailosi won the Vice Chairperson seat with 30 votes, defeating MacHastings Kanjati, who garnered 10 votes. Clement Kamwendo went through unopposed as General Secretary, while Grace Msiska was also unopposed as Vice General Secretary.
Richard Shumba was confirmed as the Treasurer, also running unopposed a sign of confidence in his previous performance managing the committee’s finances.
Committee members elected include Zingwangwa (11 votes), Mc Phiri (8), Sabiti (7), Mbuka (5), Maseko (5), and Happy Ng’ambi (4), rounding off the leadership structure.
In his acceptance remarks, newly elected chairperson Mlauzi thanked members for the trust placed in him and promised to prioritize discipline, transparency, and the welfare of referees. He stressed the importance of ongoing training programs to improve the quality of officiating across all leagues.
Outgoing chairperson Mwayi Msungama congratulated the new leadership, pledging her support to ensure a smooth transition.
He also urged the new committee to maintain unity and uphold the integrity of refereeing in the region.
