Wanderers appeal for Government Support
Mighty Mukuru Wanderers Football Club have asked the Tonse Alliance government to support them despite having sponsorship secured.
Mighty Mukuru Wanderers Commercialisation Chairperson, Clement Stambuli was making the plea during the Mukuru Sponsorship unveiling ceremony on Wednesday at Mpira Stadium in Blantyre.
He revealed that the team has an outstanding balances with the African Football governing body, Caf amounting to K59 Million accumulated in 2017 when the team participated the 2017-2018 Caf Champions League among other things.
In his speech during the ceremony, The Chairperson called on Government to bail them out from the debt.
“We would like to ask government to assist us in paying our debt that we owe Caf amounting to K59 Million,” said Stambuli.
Stambuli has also begged the current government to complete the stadia for the two teams, (Nyasa Big Bullets and Mighty Wanderers).
He said, “We would like a speedy completion of the stadium project for both of us, Mighty Wanderers and our neighbours, Nyasa Big Bullets that were started by the previous government.
“Most importantly, we would like to have those Stadiums in our names so that we can own them as our assets.”
Stambuli further requested government to stand as a guarantor to Clubs thereby assisting them securing loans from local and international banks that teams can use for building their own facilities.
However, Malawians have since faulted the club over the plea for help, saying the team is a private entity and it should not be begging from government.
“Government can’t help private entity otherwise it has to support its own poor Malawians. That help be sought from the sponsors please,” said George Manjolo.
Some social media users argued that the plea for help means officials have failed their job.
“If the head of commercialization is uttering such trash, and making the club look this needy, that is zero progress. Wanderers is a brand, grounded and powerful enough to generate resources. Sadly, its new wine is being entrusted into old skins. When Nyasa was taking overBig Bullets, they settles all the balances the team had, so why not Mukuru?,” one person said.
Ironically, Mighty Wanderers have sealed a K175 Million deal per year sponsorship with the Zimbabwe based money Transfer Company, Mukuru who have earned a naming rights for team and the team will also abandon its traditional colours, (Blue and White) to Orange.
Wanderers have been receiving support from the Salima Sugar Company who were pumping in K60 Million per year. However, the Company has written the Club terminating their sponsorship contract barely hours after the Mukuru Sponsorship unveiling ceremony.
The Nomads participated in the 2017-2018 Caf Champions League after grabbing the domestic League and they were booted out by DR Congo based giants, AS Vita who hammered them 6-2 on aggregate in the preliminary round.
