The Maravi Post

Kanyenda, Kamwendo intensify club hunt in SA

MZUZU--It never rains but pours for Flames vice captain Elvis Kafoteka, who has since last year combed all heaven and earth in vain to find a new team to play for after parting ways with his Rwandan side APR.

After failing to secure a contract with any foreign club after the APR fiasco, the veteran defender was hoping to re-launch his career with local giants Mighty Wanderers, but the Football Association of Malawi (FAM) says he cannot join a local team without a written consent from his Rwandan club.

The player is still contracted to APR until 2014, although he claims the contract was terminated on a mutual agreement with the club last year.

Kafoteka has since signed a short-term contract with the Nomads, but FAM commercial manager Casper Jangale says unless he provides documentation from APR to prove he is a free agent, he cannot play for the club.

“In as far as our records are concerned, he is still contracted to the Rwandan team and there is need for APR to communicate to us through the Rwandan FA that he is free to join a local club.

“Apparently, the player claims that he misplaced the document from APR and we have since contacted he club through the Rwandan Football Federation (RFF) to  give us their position and if anything reverse his international transfer certificate (ITC) to enable him join a local team ,” Jangale was quoted by a local daily, The Nation, as having said on Monday.

He also said the world football governing body, Fifa, is following Malawi’s international player transfer issues with keen interest following a controversy that surrounded local players’ moves to Mozambique and DR Congo.

“So we do not want to take chances. As soon as we get clearance from APR he will be allowed to play for any local team of his choice. It is not that we are blocking him from joining any club, but we just want to be on the safe side and that the procedures are followed,” said Jangale.

But on his part, Kafoteka claims APR agreed to release him before the expiry of his contract on condition that he should join a local team.

“They gave me a letter, but it seems I misplaced it. But I have the hope that they will issue the clearance,” Kafoteka told the same paper in an interview.

Wanderers general secretary David Kanyenda, who doubles as their legal adviser, said they are hoping to get Kafoteka’s international transfer certificate (ITC) before the end of the week.

Kafoteka ditched APR last year claiming the Rwandan club was not fulfilling contractual obligations. He did not elaborate.

Meanwhile, other veteran Flames players Esau Kanyenda and Joseph Kamwendo are reported to be in South Africa on trials with Amazulu and Bloemfontein Celtic, respectively.

Amazulu’s communications manager Pilirani Mabaso and Mighty Wanderers team manager McHodges Chunga confirmed the development, although they were non-committal to comment further.

Kanyenda has been plying his professional trade in Russia where he played for several clubs since 2002 after he left Jomo Cosmos, while Kamwendo has for a number of years been in South Africa after a short stint in Zimbabwe.

While Kanyenda’s star seems to be over the horizon, Kamwendo’s seems to be shining brighter again after his recent scintillating performances with the national team and his local club Mighty Wanderers where he has of late scored vital goals.   
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