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Former Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) General Secretary, Carol Bapu, has officially withdrawn from the race for the association’s presidency after being disqualified by the electoral committee earlier this week. The decision ends weeks of speculation over the leadership contest, which is now set to return the current president, Vitumbiko Gubuduza, unopposed.
Bapu, a well-known figure in Malawian netball administration, was one of two aspirants for the top position. Her disqualification came after the NAM Independent and Impartial Elections Committee ruled that she had already served the maximum two terms as general secretary and was therefore ineligible to run for president. According to the committee, the NAM constitution bars anyone who has served two consecutive terms in one office from contesting for any position.
Initially, Bapu had disputed this interpretation, insisting that the two-term limit only applied to the same position, not to other offices. She told reporters she would consult with legal experts before deciding her next step. However, in an interview on Thursday, she confirmed she would no longer challenge the ruling.
“Before declaring my interest in the NAM presidency, I consulted several legal experts to interpret the NAM constitution,” Bapu said. “Their advice confirmed that I was eligible to contest for any position except general secretary, a role I had served for two consecutive terms. With this assurance, I sought and received nominations from affiliates. However, despite disagreeing with the electoral committee’s decision, I have decided to step aside for the love of the game and to avoid unnecessary tension.”
Bapu’s withdrawal is notable because she had strong backing from the netball community. She received 16 nominations compared to the incumbent Gubuduza’s nine, suggesting she had significant grassroots support. She expressed gratitude to the affiliates who endorsed her candidacy, saying their confidence was a reflection of trust in her vision and leadership style.
“This endorsement shows the netball community believes in my ability to lead and restore the Malawi Queens to their glory days as a dominant force in African and global netball,” she said. “This is not the end for me. I will return to serve Malawi Netball again because my mission has always been to serve the sport and the nation, not personal interests.”
Her decision means that Gubuduza will retain the presidency without contest in the upcoming elective general meeting scheduled for August 23 in Lilongwe. The NAM elections come at a crucial time for Malawi netball, as the sport seeks to rebuild after mixed performances by the national team and ongoing calls for better player welfare, sponsorship, and grassroots development.
Bapu, who has been involved in netball administration for years, remains one of the most influential voices in Malawian sport. During her tenure as general secretary, she was credited with improving administrative systems, expanding youth participation, and securing sponsorships for the national team. However, her opponents argue that the constitutional rules must be respected to maintain fairness in the governance of the sport.
With the leadership settled even before the votes are cast, attention will now shift to the policies and reforms that Gubuduza will implement in his next term. Key issues on the agenda include improving funding for the Malawi Queens, addressing player allowances, enhancing coaching programmes, and developing infrastructure for both urban and rural netball.
For many observers, Bapu’s exit is a reminder of the tensions that can arise between interpretation of sports constitutions and the democratic choice of affiliates. While some believe the ruling was a necessary application of the rules, others see it as a missed opportunity for competitive leadership change.
As Malawi netball moves forward, the challenge will be ensuring unity in the sport’s administration so that off-court politics do not undermine on-court performance. Bapu’s pledge to return in future could mean her story in netball leadership is far from over.
