Sulom Presidential Aspiring candidate Haiya Launches his manifesto

By Antony Isaiah Jr:…….

………He Promises to revive, reform and rebrand Malawi’s Elite League…..

Nyasa Big Bullets Vice President, Fleetwood Haiya has on Saturday evening launched his manifesto at Bingu International Conference Centre as he is challenging Tiya Somba Banda for the Presidency of the Super League of Malawi (Sulom).

Making his announcement, Haiya said his agenda is to revive, reform and rebrand Malawi’s Elite League which he described as in stagnant state.

The five pillars that are in Haiya’s manifesto are Serving Clubs in the best interest of the Clubs, Setting up a professional and effective SULOM Secretariat, Initiating and implementing SULOM Strategic Plan, Realizing the full potential of Malawi elite football through commercialization and supporting super league clubs to be professionally and financially stable.

“Just like any policy document, the manifesto will require the cooperation, and political will of the all key stakeholders to achieve the desired outcomes. Some of the pillars will require constitutional reforms and my leadership will Champion reform [should I win the elections].

“I am therefore calling upon all the Clubs and Football Association of Malawi and all its affiliates, the sports Council , the government, the private sector and all stakeholders to give weight to the work of this manifesto. I am mindful as I always have been that the reform agenda is such a complex matter that cannot he handled by a single person,” said Haiya.

Haiya added that should he storm into Sulom presidency, he will facilitate increased subvention to Super League clubs to a minimum of K7 million per season, which will see the subvention increasing by 6 Million as currently, each club receives K1 million. He said this will ensure that clubs are able to be competitive in the league.

“My leadership will lobby with Fam, as you are aware [that] fam indicated that there is K100 Million which is coming to Super League of Malawi and not only that, but also am glad that the minister of Sports is here. We are going to lobby with the government for a direct budgetary support towards the national league. Apart from that, Super League of Malawi will also go to lobby for tax wavers on capital expenditure of Clubs, sports equipment, and also lobby the sponsorship packages to business cooperation that provide the support to the league or Clubs, they need to be also waved,” adds Haiya.

Fleetwood Haiya served as a member of finance Committee of Big Bullets before working as a Chief Executive Officer for the Club in 2018.

Fleetwood is among the individuals who managed to turn around the financial crisis of the Club, from perennial beggers to one of the most successful Clubs in the Country and beyond.

During the ceremony, Haiya shared 160 balls to all the 16 Super League Clubs with each team pocketing 10.

The ceremony was also graced by the newly appointed Minister of Youth and Sports, Uchizi Mkandawire, his predecessor Richard Chimwendo Banda and Principal Secretary in the Ministry, Isaac Katopola,

During the ceremony, different affiliates and football administrators were also present and received the manifesto copies. Haiya also gave out 10 match balls to each of the sixteen super league teams.

Haiya will face off against incumbent SULOM President,Tiya Somba Banda, it is expected to be one of the highly contested Super League elections on 25 February in Mangochi.