In a bid to promote Unit cohesion through competitive sports, the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) hosted a five day Inter - Service sports festival at the Malawi Armed Forces College (MAFCO) in Salima.
The competition which started on the 5th of May 2025 saw more than 10 Unit's across the four services of the MDF competing for grand prize of the Overall Winner. The competition brought together service men and women who also showcased not only their strengths but also their spirit of togetherness.
After a week of thrilling and top action, the competition reached its climax on the final day, also termed as the grand finale, as spectators enjoyed exciting final matches in football, tug of war, volleyball and basketball among others which also thrilled the Defence Force Commander.
At the end of the 2025 Inter - Service Competition Parachute Battalion emerged champions with 58 points and defended the trophy which they also won the previous year. 2 Malawi Rifles and 3 Malawi Rifles came second and third with 32 and 30 points respectively. Consequently, Parachute Battalion has lifted the Trophy a total of ten times
The festival which is aimed at identifying talent for national-level competitions and provide an opportunity for soldiers to network while building friendships ended with the winners walking away with K5million while 2MR and 3MR got K2million and K1million.
In his closing remarks, the Commander MDF, General Dr. Paul Velentino Phiri emphasized the importance of such sporting events in promoting physical fitness and teamwork. He encouraged participants to keep pushing themselves, aiming higher-even to international competitions. He also applauded the participation of women, noting their growing presence and performance in various sporting disciplines.
"You need to understand that sports foster teamwork and camaraderie, strengthening bonds between service members. Sports tremendously help create a cohesive Unit that can function effectively in various situations, both on and off the battlefield" General Dr. Paul Velentino Phiri said.
He described the event as a successful sports festival and that its strategic objective has been achieved with an enormous magnitude, "what's imperative is the fact that we have unearthed some talented athletes that can stand out for our military organization during national sports tournaments. We have witnessed and appreciated how talent is being nurtured in all the Units across the MDF," General Phiri added. In his closing remarks, he thanked all corporate partners who made the event a success. "I will be failing in my duty, if I do not thank the corporate partners who have made this festival possible, these partners as part of their social corporate responsibility, supported this event with huge sums of money. They could have channeled this money elsewhere but they thought it wise to sponsor this event. As Malawi Defence Force, we appreciate this gesture, and I am calling on more corporate partners to support similar initiatives in the future." General Dr. Paul Velentino Phiri said.
