Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has commenced investigations into Football Association of Malawi’s (Fam) sponsorship of a nomination paper presentation ceremony by the presidential candidate of the then ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) on Malawi Broadcasting Corporation Television (MBCTV).
ACB Principal Public Relations Officer Egrita Ndala confirmed the development but declined to give more details.
’’The Anti-Corruption Bureau is conducting investigations with regards to sponsorship of a political program by Football Association of Malawi. We may not give further details at this point,’’ Ndala said in a written response.
MBC Public Relations and Customer Affairs Manager Chisomo Mwamadi also confirmed the development.
’’We are aware of the investigations and ACB has been in touch with us. We will not comment further,’’ Mwamadi said.
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In the build up to the 2019 Tripartite Elections, Fam sponsored MBCTV’s live broadcast of former president Peter Mutharika’s nomination paper presentation to Malawi Electoral Commission as DPP candidate.
Then, some quarters questioned Fam’s neutrality as it only sponsored DDP for the live broadcast during the nomination paper presentation.
However, the country’s football governing body refuted the same through a statement then.
But in an interview Friday, Fam General Secretary Alfred Gunda said he could not comment on a matter which is under investigation.
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Last year, ACB also opened investigations in relation to Fam’s awarding of a food pack contract to an unnamed company worth of millions of kwachas.
However, the probe’s results are yet to come out.
At the time, Fam had distributed relief food packs to 2,490 regional league players and officials, including women’s football teams, to cushion them against effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The food packs, which were distributed for seven months, were valued at K10,000 each.
