A short trip down Memory Lane will bring to mind the citizenship row between the Malawian government and their national team midfield maestro Ernest Mtawali.
In April 2001, Mtwali, who had played with distinction at Orlando Pirates and other teams in the Premier League, hung up his international boots when his country asked him to renounce his South African citizenship.
The Flames star, who was 35-years-old at the time, had been playing in South Africa, Argentine and in France, for 15 years at that stage and, not surprisingly, refused to do accede to his homeland’s request.
Now a similar citizenship row has erupted over another Malawian national team player, Tamika Mkandawire, who plays for League One side, Leyton Orient in England, was born to a Malawian father and English mother.
He has waited for the past five years for a decision on whether he would be allowed to keep his British citizenship and still play for the Flames.
But Malawian authorities have said that the 25-year-old defender will not be given preferential treatment.
“Mkandawire has to renounce his UK citizenship and revert to that of Malawi; the laws are very clear on this. Giving Mkandawire preferential treatment would set a wrong precedent,” says Home Affairs minister, Ernest Malenga.
Malenga was responding to a request from Malawian Sports Minister Khumbo Kachali who had asked for the player's case to be given special consideration.
Football Association of Malawi president Walter Nyamirandu Manda described the decision as “a very big blow” to the country's football prospects.
“Tamika would have helped in sealing up the holes in our defence which is our biggest problem.”
The Sports Minister and the Football Association of Malawi have been arguing that Mkandawire would help Malawi's quest to qualify for the World Cup finals in 2010.
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